The Choice
by Skywindow
Summary: In the midst of war, Anakin has to make one of the hardest decisions of his life: to save his wife or his padawan.
1. Chapter 1: Away At War

**The Choice**

**By Skywindow**

**Summary: In the midst of war, Anakin must make one of the hardest decisions of his life: to save his wife or his padawan. **

**Pairings: Anakin/Padme **

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, nor do I own Star Wars. **

**Chapter One: Away at War**

It had been six months since the incident at the senate building and, despite the search efforts of the Jedi, the bounty hunter Cad Bane was still missing. With Couruscant in constant fear of another attack, finding him was a top mission.

At the request of her bodyguard, Senator Amidala had finally agreed to take a few days off to spend on Naboo. But, even with the assurance that it was safe there, Padme had an insistent feeling that something horrible was about to happen. She longed to see her husband again, to at least know where he was or if he was safe. In front of her family, she pretended to be happy, but as soon as they retired to bed, she would go out to her balcony and look up at the stars, imagining him standing on the bridge of his star destroyer looking out at the same ones.

With word that General Grievous would soon be visiting the separatist financial base, Anakin's star fleet was now stationed just above the planet Muunilinst. As soon as they received word from their on-planet troopers that Grievous had arrived, they would land and attack. It was Anakin's job to wait for that signal. He stood on the bridge alone while everyone else slept, staring out at the sea of stars. He didn't mind being alone. In fact, he preferred it to being surrounded by the sounds of screamed orders and bombs. When he was alone, everything was quiet. He could think about anything and everything… including her. He had heard reports that she had gone back to Naboo for a while, which was good. She needed a break. He only wished he could be there with her, holding her in his arms. A small grin came to his tired face as he thought about her laughing and kissing him on the beach, sitting by the fire afterwards, holding her against him. Force, he missed her so much.

He looked out at the stars, wondering what she was doing right now. He didn't even know if it was day or night on Naboo. Night and day didn't exist for him here. But, whatever time it was there, he hoped she was enjoying herself and not worrying. She worried too much about him. _I have to worry, Ani, because you don't worry at all, _He remembered her saying. He let out a small laugh, thinking about how much she teased him when he was home. She didn't know how much he worried. He worried that one day he would come back to her and she'd be hurt, or she would be with someone else, or… He couldn't think of it. He had promised himself a long time ago that he would never lose her like he did his mother. It wouldn't happen. She was his life.

"Master? Are you alright?" Anakin turned to see his padawan standing behind him, still groggy from sleep.

"I'm fine, Snips. What are you doing up here?" He asked her.

She shrugged. "I thought you might need a break. You haven't slept in three days."

"I can't sleep, Ashoka, not until we've captured Grievous. I'm pretty sure the separatist army isn't sleeping. They never sleep." Anakin said. His eyes shone with hatred. _They're keeping me from my wife._

"Master, let me stay and wait for the signal. The ship won't fall apart if you sleep for a few hours. You're no use to us if you're exhausted." Ashoka begged. Anakin sighed and pressed his hand to forehead. He was tired, but he couldn't let her stay on the bridge alone.

"No, Ashoka. This is my responsibility. Go back to your quarters and get some rest." He insisted.

"I've rested enough. I can handle it, master. Just give me a chance. I know what to do if something goes wrong." She replied.

"I said no, Padawan."

"Why don't you ever listen to me?" She asked, peeved at how stubborn he was.

"I could ask the same of you!" He yelled, turning to face her, "I am the master, you are the padawan. You _will _learn your place." Ashoka frowned, surprised at his outburst. Anakin couldn't take the look on her face. He couldn't believe how much like Obi-Wan he was becoming. He didn't like it.

"I'm sorry, Snips. Like you said, I haven't slept in three days." He said softly. Ashoka nodded.

"I just want to help you. You look so exhausted." She said.

"Don't worry about me." He assured her.

"I always worry about you. Someone has to, because you don't worry at all." She said, smiling. Anakin shivered. Did all women think that?

"Go back to bed, Ashoka. Trust me. I'm more at peace up here than I would be trying to sleep." He said.

"If you say so, Master." Ashoka said. It was no use trying to argue with him. She turned and headed back to her quarters. Anakin turned back to the sea of stars in front of him. Segments of an earlier talk with Obi-Wan starting flooding into his mind and he let out a long, tired sigh.

"_Anakin, you must be careful. She is forming an attachment to you. Encourage her to let go." Obi-Wan warned._

"_Letting go isn't as easy as you make it sound, Master." Anakin replied. _

"_I'm aware of that, Anakin. I had a lot of trouble letting go of my own Master, and I think we both know you've struggled with attachments, yourself." Obi-Wan said. He put his hand on Anakin's shoulder, but it was soon shrugged off. _

"_I don't know what you're talking about." Anakin said. _

"_Anakin, as much as you try to mask it, it's clear to see you struggle with your attachment to Senator Amidala. I know you don't exactly support the Jedi's rules on attachment, but please, at least warn Ashoka about it before things get too…advanced." Anakin turned to him with a disgusted look on his face. _

"_Advanced? What is that supposed to mean?" He spat. _

"_The whole fleet knows she has a crush on you. However big or small it is, it needs to stop. She needs to know that something like that can never happen between the two of you." Obi-Wan replied. _

"_Are you implying I've been encouraging my padawan to fall in love with me?" Anakin said, angrily._

"_No, Anakin. I'm only telling you to be careful." Obi-Wan sighed. _

"_Ashoka knows the rules, Obi-Wan, and so do I. I don't need to be lectured. I assure you, nothing will ever become too 'advanced' between us." Anakin told him. His voice was firm and held no room for a continuation of the rather disturbing conversation. Obi-Wan nodded and walked away, leaving Anakin alone to think about what he would do with his Padawan. _

Anakin felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He hoped whatever crush Ashoka had on him would dissolve soon. He didn't want to have to discuss the attachment rule with her, especially since he had broken it some time ago.

"Come in, Master Skywalker. This is Commander Cody. Do you read?" Anakin quickly picked up his communicator.

"Affirmative, Commander. Do you have visual of Grievous?" He answered.

"Yes, sir. He's just landed at the separatist base." Cody replied.

"Good. Have your men prepare for attack. I'll join you as soon as I can." Anakin said. _Finally. He won't escape this time_

**A/N: Alright, there's the first chapter. I have the second one finished already, but I'm still tweaking it a little. It's much longer.**

**Next chapter: An Evil Plot **


	2. Chapter 2: An Evil Plot

**Chapter Two: An Evil Plot **

**Separatist base: Muunilinst**

The Separatist financial base was hidden deep in a forest, guarded by high-ranking droids and large trees. Its large domed structure was surrounded by a fifteen foot stone wall with droids stationed equally apart along it. When it was constructed, secrecy had been the first priority, since the Muuns were not only catering to the Separatists' financial needs, but also the Republic's…

General Grievous stalked out of his ship, hunched over and followed by six battle droids at the ready. He would pretend his small army was for protection against snipers hiding in the woods, but in reality they were weapons for if the Muuns didn't give him what he wanted. Upon reaching the front wall, he was greeted by San Hill, a tall, scrawny Muun with a pale elongated face. He was the Chairman of the intergalactic banking clan and he did not like Grievous in the least.

"General Grievous," He began, smoothly, "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I have come to collect a loan, Chairman," came his gruff reply.

"Of course," San Hill nodded, "If you'll follow me."

Across the forest, twenty-three clone troopers stood waiting for commands from their General. Through his binoculars, Commander Cody watched the two enter the facility and signaled his men. He was right where they needed him.

**Aboard The _Twilight II_**

"Prepare for the jump to light speed, Ashoka." Anakin told her.

"Yes, Master. The coordinates are locked and ready." Ashoka sat back in the co-pilot's chair and strapped herself in.

According to plan, Anakin and his padawan had taken the _Twilight_ _II_ to sneak into position just outside the base. They would help Cody and his men hold General Grievous until the rest of the fleet arrived.

"General, do you read?" Cody's voice sounded over Anakin's com.

"Affirmative, Commander. Report." Anakin replied.

"General Grievous is still inside the facility. He said something about collecting a loan from San Hill. We're not sure how much longer he'll stay." Cody said.

"Understood. How many droids?" Anakin asked.

"There are at least thirty droidekas surrounding the building. Grievous brought six supers with him. The Separatists certainly don't like to compromise their money." Cody replied.

"We should be landing in a matter of minutes. I'll contact you as soon as we're ready for attack. Skywalker, out." Anakin set his com down and turned to Ashoka. "When we land, I need you to follow my lead. No going off on your own. Even with the element of surprise, a lot of things could go wrong in this battle." He warned her.

"I understand, Master." Ashoka agreed, solemnly. She had been apprehensive about this mission since the start. For some reason, she had this horrible gut feeling that something terrible was going to happen.

"Cheer up, Snips. This battle could end the war. Then you'll have your face on posters and boxer shorts all over the galaxy just like me." He flashed her a lop-sided grin.

"Very funny, Master. I just get the feeling something bad is going to happen." She said.

"Nothing bad will happen if we stay focused. Grievous is right where we want him." Anakin replied.

"If you say so." Ashoka agreed. She stared out the window at the passing stars, wondering why she felt like it would be the last time.

**_Separatist financial base_**

"May I ask, General, why you have come to collect this loan personally? Usually, we deal with droids." San Hill said. He ordered one of his workers to unlock the safe and gestured for Grievous to enter his office.

"This is no ordinary collection, Chairman. It's for a new battle station. Count Dooku gave me strict orders to see, personally, that every aspect of pre-construction goes according to plan." Grievous replied.

"I see." San Hill replied, "and what will happen when the battle station is finished."

"_That _is classified." Grievous said, "Now, if you'd give me my credits, I will be on my way." San Hill was a master at controlling his emotions. He had no interest in paying the separatist army such a large amount of credits, but his face reflected a calm façade. He would stall Grievous as long as possible.

"Of course. Let me speak with my safe officer and see if we can make this quick." The chairman replied.

He stood from his desk and walked to the safe room, leaving Grievous alone. The Muuns were going to be more difficult than Grievous originally thought, then. He stood and peered through the glass behind San Hill's desk. No matter, they had no idea what was about to happen to them or their base. Taking the chance, Grievous quickly retrieved his communicator and sent a signal for report. The response came quickly.

"General," his com sounded, "Are you alone?"

"Of Course. I am not a fool." Grievous replied.

"Skywalker and his fleet will soon attack." The voice said.

"Good. There is no chance of escape this time." Grievous chuckled.

"I assume everything is set according to plan?" The voice interrupted.

"Yes. Skywalker and his padawan will be in your hands before the battle is over. I will deal with Kenobi myself." If he had been able to, Grievous would have smirked evilly at the thought.

"Good. Do not fail me, General."

"I assure you, I do not fail, Mr. Bane." Grievous rumbled.

"I hope your confidence matches the outcome of this battle, General. For your sake." Bane replied. Grievous let out a low growl and switched off his communicator.

_Skywalker and Kenobi will be dead soon, and the republic will be weak. This war will soon be won. _

**The _Twilight II_**

"Prepare for landing, Ashoka. We need to go in as smooth as possible. I'll contact Cody and tell him we're here." Anakin said. Ashoka nodded and began landing protocol.

"Commander Cody, do you read?" Anakin asked.

"Loud and clear, General." Cody responded.

"We're landing just outside of the base, now. Move into position and wait for my signal." Anakin ordered.

"Understood, General." Cody replied. Anakin switched off his com and looked to Ashoka. She still looked apprehensive.

"Don't worry, Snips," He told her, "This is where the fun begins."

**The _Republic Star _**

On the bridge of the leading star destroyer of the Republic fleet, Obi-Wan stood watching as the forests of Muunilinst came into sight outside. He had his doubts about how this mission would go, but he kept them to himself. Anakin wouldn't listen, anyway. Hopefully, when this was all over, Grievous would be captured and the war would be over…. hopefully.

"Obi-Wan, we're on the ground now." He heard from his communicator. Quickly he picked it up and listened for the rest of the report. "Ashoka and I are at the edge of the forest on the south side of the base. Grievous is still inside, but there's more droids than we first thought… Wait, what's that?" Anakin yelled.

"Master, that's a Couruscant ship!" Ashoka cried.

"Anakin, what's happening?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know, but I think we're going to find out very soon." The line cut out.

"Anakin? Anakin?" Obi-Wan yelled. There was no answer.

**Muunilinst forest**

Anakin and Ashoka watched as fourteen droidekas and six supers marched out of the strange ship at the other side of the forest.

"Well, this can't be good." Ashoka whispered.

"Shh." Anakin warned her. His eyes narrowed as Cad Bane stepped onto the ramp.

"Master, It's…!" Anakin slapped his hand over Ashoka's mouth. "Quiet." He demanded. He retrieved his communicator and signaled Cody.

"Commander, we've got unwelcome company. Cad Bane is here with more droids. Our original plan isn't going to work. I'll contact Obi-Wan and tell him we'll need more men. I want you to stay hidden until they arrive. Understood?"

"Understood, General, but I've got bigger problems." Cody yelled. On his side of the forest, four of Cad Bane's snipers were killing his men left and right. Anakin could hear the sounds of blaster fire.

"Commander, what's happening over there?" He ordered.

"Snipers hidden…forest… men….dead…Bane plans to…" The signaled cracked and finally cut out. Anakin shut off his com and turned to Ashoka. She looked terrified.

"We should leave, Master. I have a horrible feeling about this." She begged him.

"No, we can't, not when we have the opportunity to capture Bane and Grievous. We just have to change our tactics." He told her.

"It's a little late for that." They heard behind them. The sound of two lightsabers being ignited filled the air as both Master and Padawan turned toward the female sniper standing behind them.

"Drop your weapon, now!" Anakin demanded. To his surprise, she obeyed the order, but as she did a slow spreading smile came to her face. Anakin didn't know that behind her, she was igniting a gas bomb.

"Please don't kill me." She begged. "Bane said he would kill my family if I didn't come to work for him." She was a brilliant actress, that's why.

**_Outside of Cad Bane's Ship _**

Bane watched as a small red light began flashing on his datapad, pinpointing where the gas bomb had been ignited and where the sniper had cornered Anakin and his Padawan. He signaled his droids to follow him as they began walking towards the forest.

**_Forest _**

"Get down on the ground, " Anakin ordered, "put your hands where I can see them."

The sniper slowly bent down onto her knees and raised her hands in the air. She could hear the bomb, buckled to her belt, ticking the last few seconds away. They would be unconscious soon.

"What is Bane planning?" Anakin shouted.

"He's taking over the base. He and Grievous plan to steal a large amount of credits. He told us to search the forest for Republic scum." She replied desperately. It wasn't a complete lie. He did plan to steal over forty million credits.

"There's something you're not telling me. I can sense it. Tell me all of it or you die!" Anakin ordered, pointing his lightsaber at her head.

"Master, Bane is coming this way." Ashoka said nervously.

Anakin turned away from the sniper just as the bomb reached the last second. It exploded in a haze of murky green gas, shoving both he and Ashoka against a thick tree trunk. The gas hissed as it surrounded them, blurring everything into a green tint. Anakin struggled to get up, but couldn't. He felt paralyzed. Beside him, Ashoka was already unconscious, her head lolled against the tree. Through the haze in front of him, Anakin could see the snipers body lying motionless on the ground. He was so stupid. It had all been a trap, even the leaked information that Grievous was coming unarmed to the base. It had all been a trap, and he had had fallen right into it. Ashoka and Obi-Wan were right about this mission. It ended horribly. Now Bane was coming for them. Looking up under heavy eyelids, he swore he saw the outline of a light blue lightsaber coming through the green haze, but slowly, the image faded to black as he drifted into a coma.

A/N: Well, there you go: Chapter two all wrapped up with a bow. The next chapter is where we get into the real plot, but I haven't finished it yet so I might take a bit longer in updating. I promise I will work diligently to get it to you soon Thank you for all your reviews!


	3. Chapter 3: Kidnapping

**Chapter Three: Kidnapping **

**A/N: Alright, here's chapter three. I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. I hope this is worth the wait ******** --- Can you see the smilie face or is it just a square? **

**Warning: Slight mush. **

_Muunilinst forest _

Obi-Wan squinted as he and his men came upon a sea of green mist in the trees ahead of them. It appeared that things were even worse than he'd originally thought.

"Someone's ignited a gas bomb, and I sense that Anakin is somewhere in the middle of it. We have to go through." Obi-Wan told them. He gripped his lightsaber tightly in his right hand, ready to strike down whatever or whoever was beyond the mist.

"But, sir, we don't have gas masks. We'll be unconscious before we can do any damage." One of the clones said.

"We don't have time for such precautions, I'm sorry. We'll have to be quick and stay together. Follow me." He ordered. He ignited his lightsaber and ran into the haze, not knowing what to expect. He didn't know that on the other side, there waited a much darker threat than he had planned for.

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Anakin's head lolled back and forth as he tried to fight back into consciousness. Sniper's gas, as it was called, was used to keep its victim in either a state of a coma or complete confusion, but if a person was exposed to it too long, it would slowly fill their lungs until they suffocated. He struggled against the claws trying to pull him back into darkness. He could hear noises that sounded like men yelling, but they faded in and out.

"I think I see them… General! …They're…"

He couldn't do it. The claws slowly came back and his eyes closed…

"_Ani, what are you doing up so early?" Padme asked gently. _

_He opened his eyes and found that he was on a balcony on Naboo. The sun was just rising over the island in the distance and the water was shimmering with an orange glow. He had always pictured heaven this way. _

"_Well…?" He heard her say. Slowly, he turned to find her standing behind him in a light blue nightgown, her chocolate curls falling around her shoulders. She looked so beautiful. He held out his hand for her to take and she did, coming closer to him. _

"_I missed you so much, Padme." He breathed. She smiled and pressed her hand to his cheek, sliding her thumb over it lightly. "I'm in big trouble this time." He told her. _

"_You'll find a way out. Somehow, you always do." She said softly. _

"_I was so stupid. Obi-Wan told me to double check the source I received the information from, but I never did. I put everyone in danger." Anakin said. His voice was thick with pain and guilt. _

"_Ani, everyone makes mistakes. Even the hero with no fear is entitled to a few. You're only human." She told him, still stroking his cheek. _

"_I thought this battle was going to end the war. I wanted to come back to you so badly." He admitted, pulling away from her. "Now, I've only made it worse." _

"_The battle isn't over, yet. You still have time." She said, but he continued looking away from her. "Ani, look at me." She said, but he wouldn't. "Anakin?" _

"Anakin? Can you hear me?" Obi-Wan asked. He knelt by his former padawan's limp body and held his head up. The young man didn't move. "Oh Anakin, what have you gotten yourself into?" He whispered under his breath. "Rex, I need you to carry Anakin back to the ship," He ordered, standing up, "Blacks, you take Ashoka. Hurry!"

As the two clones bent down to pick up the injured pair, an onslaught of lasers came from the trees to the right. They were being ambushed by the remaining snipers. Obi-Wan quickly picked up his lightsaber and began deflecting the lasers away from the clones. His head was spinning and his legs wobbling, but he kept his focus.

"Go, now!" He ordered. "I'll hold them off!" He signaled the other clones to follow him and ran towards the shooters. The group was becoming weak from the gas and stumbled slightly as they did their best to keep close to the General.

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_Inside the Separatist base_

General Grievous watched, through one of the many windows on the south side of the base, as a cloud of green gas rose above the trees. It was time. He signaled his droids to follow him and walked down a long corridor into a large marble-floored room. San Hill stood in the middle, talking with one of his employees in hushed tones. Upon seeing the general, he turned and addressed him.

"General, I'm afraid we're going to need more time to approve this loan. If, perhaps, you could come back in a weeks time I'm sure…" His calm explanation was bluntly cut off by a droid pointing a blaster riffle to his throat.

"That is unacceptable, Chairman. Now, if you'd be so kind as to open the safe." He said, threateningly. The chairman waved his hand in the air and the small Muun behind him nodded his head.

"Please, follow my assistant, General. He will unlock the safe for you." San Hill told him. The droids surrounded the chairman and pushed him forward.

"You've made a wise choice, Chairman." Came his gruff reply. The General followed the small Muun down a marble hallway as his droids killed San Hill with three shots in the back.

"Too bad it had to be your last."

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_Muunilinst forest_

Rex and Blacks feebly weaved their way through the thick trees and brush that blocked the pathway back to the Republic Star. Blacks' vision was getting cloudier as he stumbled over sticks and shrubs in his way. His legs wobbled underneath him and Ashoka began sliding off his back.

"Keep it together, Rookie! It's only a little ways to the ship!" Rex yelled behind him.

"I'm trying, sir!" He answered, weakly. He struggled to keep hold of the unconscious girl on his back. Up ahead, he could see an opening in the trees. _Almost there._ He focused all his senses on getting to the ship. _Just a few more yards…_

"Blacks, look out!" He heard Rex yell. Before he could heed the order, he heard the sound of blaster fire coming out of the trees. In an instant, two lasers penetrated his suit just above his left hip. He tumbled to the ground, dropping Ashoka beside him.

"Blacks!" Rex yelled. More blaster fire came out of the trees, this time aimed for him. He zigzagged off the path, dodging the lasers coming his way until he was finally in the open. He ran as fast as his legs would go up the ship ramp and scrambled inside. After finding the nearest deck officer, he shoved the unconscious Jedi into his hands and started back to the forest.

"Take him to the medical bay!" Rex ordered, and ran down the ramp. The gas was mostly out of his lungs now, but he still felt its effects. The trees were blurry and seemed much larger than before, but he wouldn't stop. He had to find Ashoka and get her to safety, even if it killed him. Through the red sensors on his helmet display, he could see Blacks' body lying on the ground ahead, but Ashoka wasn't anywhere around him. _Maybe she woke up. I bet the little runt ran back to the ship when I wasn't looking, but where's the sniper? _Rex thought. He wasn't going to stand there and wait for someone to shoot him. He picked up Blacks' body and headed back to the ship for report.

Obi-Wan stood wearily over dozens of dead snipers and droids, waiting for report from Rex and Blacks. The other men were sitting on the ground, still fighting the last effects of the gas and recovering from battle.

"Sir, you do realize that General Grievous is still inside the facility. We could easily trap and capture him." One of the clones said.

"We are the ones that have been trapped, soldier. It's obvious that Bane and Grievous have teamed up and, right now, we have to deal with Bane. Rushing into that base will only get us killed. I think we've lost enough men today." Obi-Wan replied.

"He must still be somewhere in the forest. We all know his damn snipers are." Another clone said weakly, followed by a loud cough. The group continued talking about their next move, unaware of the danger lurking in the trees around them.

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_Separatist base_

General Grievous stepped casually over San Hill's dead assistant and signaled his droids to follow him out of the safe room. Gripped tightly in his mechanical hands were two cases, each filled with forty million credits. It seemed that things were finally going according to plan. Bane was taking care of the Jedi and he would at last have a successful report to Dooku.

Once he was outside of the base, he ordered the droids to survey the area beyond the walls for republic scum. After a brief check, they reported that their sensors found the area to be completely clear.

"Excellent."

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_Muunlinst forest_

"Sir, the General is boarding his ship!" One of the clones yelled. All of them stood and readied their guns.

"Hold your fire! I sense a closer threat!" Obi-Wan shouted. The 'close threat' came from behind them, in the form of Cad Bane.

"Good job, General Kenobi, but you might want to be a bit faster next time. Or did I not mention that sniper gas effects Jedi senses, too?" He told them, his voice sickening. Obi-Wan suddenly felt something against his boot. Looking down, he saw that it was a grenade.

"Grenade!" One of the clones screamed, but it was too late. What happened next seemed like it was in slow motion. Obi-Wan looked back up to see Bane running in the opposite direction. A little ways beyond him, there was a woman, most likely another sniper, but that wasn't what caught his attention. In the woman's arms, there was a young girl with orange skin… _Ashoka._ The bomb exploded.

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_Aboard Grievous's ship_

"Well, Mr. Bane? I expect everything went as planned." Grievous said arrogantly into his communicator.

"Kenobi is dead… but the snipers were only able to capture Skywalker's padawan." Bane replied.

"Skywalker escaped?! You incompetent fool!" Grievous roared.

"I assure you, I do not leave business unfinished, General. I plan to capture him." Bane said smoothly.

"You better, or you will be out forty million credits. What are you planning?" Grievous inquired.

"On my last _visit _to the senate, I discovered Skywalker's secret weakness." Bane replied.

"What kind of weakness?" Grievous asked slowly.

"A woman." He said, his voice dripping with wickedness. "We'll use her to lure him into a trap… and when I'm done torturing his padawan for information, I'll toture her. His Jedi senses will tell him she's in pain and he'll attempt to rescue her." Bane explained.

"Make it work." Grievous snarled. "Where is this woman you're planning to kidnap? I want to know where you are at all times."

Bane moved to the window of his ship and looked down at the forests of Muunlinst as they slowly blurred into one land mass. "Naboo."

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**A/N: Yeah, I'm not too happy with this chapter. Do you think it goes to quickly…or it's just plain stupid and unrealistic? I know I'm not very good at writing Cad Bane's dialogue. He didn't seem in character. Please tell what you thought. If you have suggestions, I'll take them. **


	4. Chapter 4: The Aftermath of Battle

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews! I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I'm the middle of my last week of rehearsals for a show. I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

**Chapter Four: The Aftermath Of Battle**

_Naboo_

It was late evening and the sun was just setting behind the horizon, illuminating the Naberrie kitchen with a soft glow. There was a light breeze and the white lace curtains that hung over the windows ruffled lightly as the cool air flowed past. Padme stood at the window, helping her mother dry the clean dishes.

"I can't remember the last time I had you here to help me dry the dishes." Jobal laughed. Padme smiled slightly and continued drying. She tried to keep her spirits up in front of her parents, but Anakin's image kept appearing in her head. He was hurt. She knew it.

"I know I've told you this a million times, but I'm so happy you're home. I worry about you a lot when you're away." Jobal told her, smiling sadly. _I know the feeling. _Padme thought.

"You shouldn't worry about me, Mom. You know I have plenty of protection." She assured her.

"It isn't _that_ I'm worried about." Jobal said quietly. "Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision letting you go into politics so early. All you do is work."

"I'm working to save the republic, to bring an end to this war. Someone has to." Padme said.

"Why does that someone have to be you?" Her mother asked. Padme sighed and put down the dish she was holding.

"I don't trust anyone else." She admitted. _I'm the only one who will work day and night to bring my husband home._ Jobal went back to washing the last of the dishes, seeing that her daughter was getting upset. Padme stared silently out the window, a frown forming on her lips.

"What is it?" Her mother asked.

"Nothing. I was just thinking." Padme said softly. She gave her mother a small smile before returning her gaze to the sunset, longing for the stars to come out.

"Thinking about Anakin?" Jobal asked. Padme nearly fainted.

"What?" She said, a little too loudly. How could her mother know that? Quickly, she regained her composure and calmly asked, "Why would I be thinking about him?"

"I know he's fighting in the war. You must be concerned about him." She replied, giving her daughter a knowing look.

"I suppose." Padme said quietly, avoiding her gaze.

"Padme," Jobal said, placing her hand on her daughter's arm, "you can be honest with me." She urged. The plea was met with silence. Padme just stood there, staring at the darkening sky. For once, the articulate politician didn't know what to say.

"I know your relationship with Anakin is deeper than friendship." She continued, "I only wish you would tell me the truth. Why won't you talk to me?"

"I-I don't know what to say." Padme admitted, pulling away. She breathed heavily, searching for the right words. "Anakin and I…we're…it's complicated."

"Are you in love with him?" Jobal asked. Padme looked back at the now dark sky.

"I-Well…Yes." She confessed. She hoped that would be the end of the conversation, but it wasn't. She hoped she wouldn't be forced to admit they had secretly married behind everyone's back, but she would have to. She hoped she wouldn't have to see the disappointment on her mother's face when she finally realized her daughter had been lying to her for two years, but it was already etched in her mother's eyes.

"I know there's more." Jobal said, taking her daughter's hand. "Tell me." Padme nodded slowly and gave in. It was going to be a long night…

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_The Republic Star: Muunilinst _

"Padme…" Anakin muttered. _Ani, you have to wake up now. _His head lolled from side to side as he tried to regain consciousness. Padme's voice was still clear in his head.

After Rex brought him back to the ship, he had been immediately placed on a medical cot in the back. The room was rarely used since all injured soldiers were flown to a medical base over Kamino, but today it was being put to full use. A small floating medical droid hovered at his side, checking his vitals.

"Padme, I hear you…" He mumbled. The medical droid detected the noise and unhooked the oxygen mask from his face.

"Sir, can you hear me?" It asked in a monotone voice. Anakin groaned and squinted against the lights above him. _Where am I? _He thought. As things became clearer, he could make out the shapes of medical cabinets and the droid beside him. What had happened? Was he hurt?

"W-What happened? Where am I?" He asked woozily.

"You will regain your memory soon, sir. It will come back to you slowly. For now, you must relax." The droid replied. Anakin didn't have the strength to fight with the machine. He closed his eyes and focused on remembering what had happened to him. Just as the droid had said, it came back slowly, in images of a terrible battle… When he could fully remember everything that had happened, one question remained in his mind.

"Where is my padawan?"

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_Muunilinst forest _

Rex paced carefully through the brush, searching everywhere for a sign of life. After returning to The _Republic Star _with Blacks' body, he had tried to contact General Kenobi. No answer. None of the clones were responding and no one had gone back to the ship. The situation was, even according to military code, hopeless. But, Obi-Wan was not Rex's chief concern. His primary mission was finding Ashoka. As much as he pretended to be annoyed by her, he had become somewhat attached to the kid. The thought that she might be in danger because of him made him sick. After almost three hours of searching through the forest, he found the General and other clones, but from the looks of it, they were all dead. Obi-Wan was lying against a log, his head covered with blood. Rex gulped as he approached the injured man, kneeling by his still form.

"General?" He said shakily. Slowly, he picked up his arm and felt for a pulse. A weak, but steady, beat pulsed against his fingers. "You don't give up easily, do you?" He smirked. He would take Obi-Wan back to the ship and order the pilot to get them the hell off this planet. It was too late for Ashoka, but he wouldn't fail the ones who had survived.

***************************************************************************************************************************************************

The _Republic Star _

Against the medical droid's orders, Anakin paced back and forth in front of his cot. His legs were still shaky and his vision was slightly blurred, but he couldn't stay still. Obi-Wan wasn't answering his communicator, if fact, no one was answering. He wanted to go back out there and find them, but the deck officers had been given orders not to let him leave.

"Sir, you should really lie down and rest. The effects of the gas haven't fully worn off yet." The medical droid requested. Anakin scowled and turned to the droid.

"Stop asking me to rest! My entire squadron is dead, my padawan is missing, and Obi-Wan's squad is out there fighting General Grievous and Cad Bane alone! Resting is the least of my priorities!" He shouted. The droid was unaffected.

"I was only making a suggestion." It said, sauntering off in the other direction. Anakin resumed pacing, thinking of ways to sneak past the deck officers. He would not stay there and wait for everyone to die.

"I need medical assistance, immediately! The General's been injured!" He heard over the intercom. _Obi-Wan! _Before the medical droid could protest, Anakin was out of the room and rushing for the main bridge.

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_Above Naboo_

"How long before we land?" Bane asked, impatiently. The young, rough looking pilot turned to him.

"It won't be much longer. I suggest you start readying the supplies." He replied. He thought for a moment. "What's going to happen if she has guards?"

"Leave that to me. You land the ship." Bane snapped. The loud beep of the cockpit door sounded as Ashoka's keeper walked in.

"The girl is waking. Should I knock her out?" She asked.

"I'll do it, myself. I've learned I can't trust you to carry out orders on your own." He remarked.

"I said I was sorry about losing Skywalker. It was impossible to…" She retorted.

"Spare me your pathetic excuses! Go and get the remaining gas bombs and rope. If you fail me this time, you'll find I won't be as forgiving." He snarled. The woman gave an indignant sigh and stormed off.

"Excuse me, Captain. I have a padawan learner to deal with." He smirked.

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_Prisoner's chamber_

The room was spinning, but everything was pitch black. The floor was hard and cold like metal, burning Ashoka's bare legs. Her head felt heavy and ached terribly. In fact, her whole body ached. Though her memory was still non-existent, Ashoka knew she was in a very bad situation. This was definitely not The _Republic Star. _She was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire to be in her master's arms. He would hold her close, comforting her with his warmth, and tell her everything was ok, even if it wasn't. She would do anything to have him with her now.

"Master…" She croaked. Her throat was cracked and dry from the gas.

"I'm afraid Master Skywalker isn't here." Said a low, cracked voice. Ashoka sat up as best she could and squinted through the dark. After a moment she could see the pale outline of a towering figure by what looked like a door.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" She demanded. Her hand instinctively reached to her belt, only to find her lightsaber missing. The voice chuckled.

"It must be unnerving: waking up in a cell, your weapon missing, your master gone. He's dead. And, soon you will be, too." Bane explained.

"I don't believe you!" Ashoka replied. He couldn't be dead. That was impossible. Bane only chuckled again.

"You'll see soon enough." He told her, coming closer. "But, for now…" A cloth covered her face as Bane smothered her back into unconsciousness. She struggled against him, but his grip was as tight as iron. The last image in her head was of her master. _Please help me, Master. Please. _ Her eyes closed and she fell, limp, to the floor again.

****************************************************************************************************************************************************

The _Republic Star _

"What happened?!" Anakin shouted. Obi-Wan's unconscious, battered body lay on a medical cot now. The droid worked quickly, hooking him to dozens of machines. Rex sat on the cot across from them, his helmet in his hands, his head bowed in shame.

"Blacks and I were ordered to take you and Ashoka back to the _Star, _but Bane's snipers took Blacks down before he got to the ship. I brought you here and went back for her, but when I got there she was gone. I don't know what happened to the General. I found him like this…. But the clones in his squad are all dead. It looked like there had been an explosion." Rex explained. Anakin brought his flesh hand to his forehead. The situation was even worse than he thought.

"What about Bane and Grievous?" He asked, exhaustion evident in his voice.

"They've escaped, Sir. I'm sorry." Rex replied, defeated.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, soldier. You followed your orders and rescued me as well as Obi-Wan. I am the one who's to blame for all of this." Anakin said, guiltily. He turned to look at his master, lying motionless on the medical cot. Bloody gashes lined his face and arms, and he was deathly pale.

"And I'm the one who's going to fix it." He finished.

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**A/N: Alright. I worked hard on this chapter, but it's not my favorite. This was the 'everything's gone to hell and now people are reflecting' chapter. The next chapter will be the 'everything's gone to hell and we're goanna fix it' chapter :) **


	5. Chapter 5: Trouble on Naboo

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. My show is over with, so I'm free to write more now. **

**Things to know for this chapter: I felt the need for Padme to tell her family about Anakin before Episode 3, but the story can still be considered probable. They might have known about him, you know? So, that's why I don't consider it AU… yet. **

**P.S THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! It has helped me a lot.**

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**Chapter Five: Trouble on Naboo **

_Naboo_

The sun over Naboo had set hours ago, replaced by the bright twinkle of thousands of stars and planets lighting up the sky. Inside the Naberrie home, Padme and Jobal sat in the warmth of the fire-lit living room, silently.

"You've hidden this from us for two years?" Jobal asked quietly. Padme nodded, hanging her head. She had explained everything, sparing no detail of how she had fallen in love with Anakin, and married him in secret. While it felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her chest, she still couldn't bare to see the look of disappointment on her mother's face.

"I understand if you're angry with me." She began, "I should have told you a long time ago, and I wanted to, so much, I just…" She let her voice trail off as Jobal held up her hand to stop her.

"I'm not angry with you." Her mother said softly, letting a smile come to her lips. "I'm glad the two of you found each other. You deserve to be in love, Padme." She paused, letting out a sigh. "I only wish that the circumstances were different. I don't see how you can continue living this way."

"We knew what our lives would be like when we were married. We accept it." Padme said sadly, "When the war is over, we'll leave our positions and live together…somewhere safe, where we can be happy and not have to worry about the republic…" She let her eyes drift to the glass doors at the side of the room, where the moonlight lit up a sparkling lake. Padme didn't usually let herself dream about a different life with Anakin. Her mind was always on her duty, on the senate, on work. There wasn't time to dream about her personal life when a war was going on.

But, somewhere deep inside her, the part she hid from all her co-workers, there was a secret desire. Sometimes she dreamt of little blonde haired boy with the same wild sense of adventure as her husband, running and playing by the lakeside. He would grow up to be a Jedi, but in a new order where love wasn't forbidden and war didn't plague them. Clandestinely, she hated that the war kept her from him. She turned back to her mother, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"But right now," she continued determinedly, "we have a job to do. Our time will come."

Jobal sat quietly for a moment, taking in everything her daughter had said. Padme was lost in her own thoughts, struggling to control her tears. The silence seemed tinged with sadness, but it was soon interrupted, by the kitchen door as it swung open and two loud men came stomping in.

"Jobal, we're home!" Padme's father, Ruwee, called. Behind him, her brother in-law, Darred, stood soaking wet in his fishing boots. They had just returned from an all day fishing trip to one of busiest tourist attractions on the planet. Jobal stood and walked into the kitchen to greet them.

"Goodness!" She exclaimed, seeing Darred, "What happened to you?"

"He had a little fall into the lake. It just goes to show what happens when you're a know-it-all." Ruwee laughed, punching his son-in-law in the arm.

"Very funny, Dad." Darred scoffed. "If you don't mind, Mom, I think I'll go get changed. Where are Padme and Sola?"

"Sola left a few hours ago to pick up the girls from a party and Padme is in the living room. We've had quite an evening." Jobal said, turning to see Padme standing by the glass doors.

"Uh-oh. What does that mean? Here, dry yourself off." Ruwee said, throwing Darred a towel from the cupboard. He gave him an apathetic look in return.

"I think we better talk about it in the morning. She looks tired." She replied. Ruwee nodded slowly and walked into the living room to tell his daughter goodnight.

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_Cad Bane's Ship: Prisoner's chamber_

Ashoka struggled to keep her eyes open. Muffled voices could be heard outside of her cell and she strained to make out their words. Ropes were tied around her ankles and wrists, burning red marks into skin as she pulled against them. She pressed her head to the wall, decoding bits and pieces of the conversation.

"_We'll be landing soon… the senator… probably be a fight, if there's guards. Ready… need the bombs… yes… Amidala won't escape." _Ashoka gasped. _Senator Amidala? _They were going to hurt Padme.

Suddenly, a loud thunk sounded at the other side of the door. Ashoka scrambled against the back wall as it opened, revealing a tall, black figure and a flood of fluorescent light.

"What do you want from me?!" She yelled. The figure stepped closer. As her eyes adjusted to light, she could see that it was a young, rough-looking man in black. Across his back was a sniper riffle and in his right hand was an electric rope, most often used for torture. He stepped heavily into the room, shutting the door behind him and activating a blinding white light above them.

"I'll be asking the questions here." He snarled. He snapped the rope against his left hand, threateningly. "Do you know what this is?" He asked, holding it out for her to see. Ashoka scowled at him.

"Yes. It's the weapon of cowards." She spat. The man laughed bitterly and snapped it against his hand again.

"That's exactly the reply I'd expect from a brain-washed republic scum like you." He cackled. Ashoka suddenly remember seeing her master take down a man by kicking him in the shins and tackling him on the floor. If she could get him down and steal his riffle, she might be able to make a clean escape once they landed. "I'm going to have fun getting information out of you." He said, leaning down to her. Like lightning, he grabbed her tied hands and began fastening the rope around her. The harder she struggled, the harder he held her arms. His knees locked her legs beneath them.

"With fifty volts of pure electric shock coursing through your weak little body, I'm sure it will be easy to forget everything your master's ever said about us _cowards._" He growled. Once the rope was securely fastened around her, the man stood up retrieved a small round remote from his belt. "Now, tell me, what is the republic hiding? Tell me all of it, and don't think I won't know when you're lying."

"I'm not telling you anything!" Ashoka shouted. The words rang through the cell as a malicious grin came to her torturer's face.

"I was hoping you'd say that." He said. The electric shock spread from her stomach to her head and feet, making her shake uncontrollably against the sharp pain. She tried not to scream, not to make a single noise, but the pain was too horrible. An agonizing cry escaped her lips, leaving her breathless when it was done. The man put the remote back on his belt and leaned down to face her.

"Now, let's try this again…"

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The Republic Star

The situation had been the same for the past three hours. Obi-Wan was still lying unconscious, Rex was still sitting with his head in his hands, and Anakin was still standing on the bridge, scrutinizing the stars for some clue. There were no clues. The rest of the fleet followed closely behind them as they wondered slowly through space with no clear direction and no answers. The situation was hopeless.

"Captain, you should rest. I'll notify you if we receive any transmissions." One of the deck officers said. Anakin shook his head, not taking his eyes off of the stars ahead.

"Not now, Officer. Ashoka might try to contact me through the force. I need to stay awake and keep an open connection with her." He replied. The officer sighed and went back to his post. There was no arguing with Captain Skywalker.

"Come on, Ashoka… why can't I feel your presence?" Anakin whispered. He closes his eyes for the fifth time that hour and searched for her in the force. _Still nothing. _Why couldn't he feel her? Opening his eyes, he let out a frustrated growl and turned toward the medical bay. _Maybe Obi-Wan is awake now. I bet he'll have some answers for me._

_*****************************************************************************************************************************************************_

The Republic Star: Medical Bay

Obi-Wan's condition hadn't changed since his admittance to the medical bay, but that the gashes on his face and arms were sealed with Bacta. His heartbeat pulsed slowly in a steady rhythm that could be heard echoing through the room. Rex found it soothing.

His own heart was throbbing with pain and guilt. The image of Ashoka lying unconscious on the forest floor wouldn't leave his mind. It haunted him. He would do everything in his power to help Anakin find her.

"Rex…" He heard. Anakin stood at the entrance, looking at him with exhausted eyes. He'd never seen him so weak. "Has there been any change?" He continued.

"No, Sir. The medical droid said he repaired all the external damage, but the internal damage is very serious. The General may be unconscious for another few days… if he does come out of it." He replied. Anakin closed his eyes and put his head down. That wasn't the news he was hoping for. "I'm sorry, Sir. I know the guilt of losing a battle and of losing men. It's something we have to accept." Rex told him.

"That's easier said than done, Soldier." Anakin said softly. He paced across the room and took a seat beside Rex.

"Believe me, Sir. I know." Rex replied. The image of Ashoka was still fresh in his mind, taunting him. The two men sat in silence, listening to the solemn beat of their fallen comrade's heart, both thinking of what they could have done differently. It lasted until loud footsteps were heard coming toward them. Whatever it was, Anakin hoped it was good news.

"Captain Skywalker," The deck officer said, out of breath, "We have report of a sighting of Cad Bane's ship." Anakin stood up immediately.

"Well? Go on!" He demanded. The officer drew in a deep breath.

"One of our orbiting ships reported that he entered Naboo's atmosphere almost eight standard minutes ago. We have image confirmation and coordinates from them, Sir." He explained. Anakin's heart clenched. _Padme… _No. He couldn't be there for her. It had to be something else.

"Have you entered the coordinates in the ship's computer?" He asked, heading for the deck.

"Yes, Sir." The officer replied.

"Then prepare for hyperspeed. We have to move fast!" He ordered.

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_Naboo_

Padme absent-mindedly pulled a brush through her long brown curls, starring silently at her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot from sobbing, tears still stained her pale cheeks, and her lips were swollen. The conversation she'd had with her mother had set off a flame of emotion inside her. One she couldn't keep in check.

Every horrible 'what if' came flooding into her mind, past the walls she usually held against them. The daze of busy-work gone, her thoughts freely wondered to what she really felt. She missed her husband.

Walking out to the balcony, she tightened her robe around her and gazed up at the night sky. A frown formed on her lips as she found a shroud of black covering the stars. Her only connection with Anakin was gone…. But, as she looked closer, she could see the outline of a ship coming towards her. _Could Anakin be on leave? _She thought. The closer the ship came, the faster her heart beat.

Finally it was close enough for her to see clearly. It wasn't Anakin's ship. In fact, it wasn't a Republic ship. Her heart began to race again, but this time it wasn't for love… it was for fear.

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A/N: I had to end it here, even though I didn't want to. I'm sorry if you think the story is going slowly. I'm trying to move it along. THANK YOU FOR READING!


	6. Chapter 6: Chasing the Enemy

**A/N: I'm sorry I haven't updated in… holy crap it's been a long time! (Dodges flying projectiles) It's not my fault! Well, yes it is. Senior year and college applications were kicking my butt, but I'm free now and I know where I'm going to college, finally! I hope you like this chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter Six: Chasing the Enemy**

_Naboo_

The ship landed in a field less than a mile away from the house. Padme's breath caught in her throat as she squinted through the darkness at the outline of it. It clearly wasn't a republic ship, but it didn't have the infamous separatist contour, either. After a few moments, the ramp began to lower, revealing a tall inhuman figure with a long gun strapped to its back. Behind it was another, taller, shadow. As the ramp illuminated, Padme could clearly make out the features of his face all the way up to a wide, brown hat. Her heart flooded with fear, beating erratically as she struggled to get away from the balcony. Cad Bane had found her.

* * *

_The Republic Star_

Anakin sat in the pilot's seat, watching stars stream by in white lines. It would take another standard hour to get to Naboo, even at light speed. If Bane was going to Naboo for his wife, they would never catch him before he got to her. They were wasting time they didn't have.

* * *

_Naboo_

"Hurry up! They may have spotted us by now! I will not accept another failure." Bane ordered.

Three snipers ran off the ship into the field, spreading out into the tall grass. They would break into the house at three different points, trapping the family while he kidnapped the senator. After tying them up and erasing their memories, he'd throw Amidala in with Skywalker's aggravating padawan and set course for Grievous's base on Sluis Van. This plan would not fail.

Soon he would have Skywalker right where he wanted him and his mission for Grievous would be complete. What the general didn't know was that he could care less about the measly 40 million credits. That was nothing compared to what he had been offered to capture Senator Amidala.

A few months earlier, he had received a private message from Count Dooku, himself, detailing a mission to kidnap and assassinate a Republic senator for the payment of half a billion credits. Bane was not one to turn down a challenge, especially when it involved such a large reward. The Count was desperate. He explained that this mission was very important to his master and needed to be done as quickly and painlessly as possible. If a scandal should arise, there would be dangerous consequences. That's when Bane decided to frame Grievous for the assassination. It was so easy. Grievous wanted Skywalker and Amidala was perfect bait. He would make sure that when the news reached Couruscant, Grievous would be the one at blame for both of their deaths. _How sweet,_ he thought sarcastically, _they'll die together._

* * *

_Naboo_

Padme ran as quickly as she could to her parents' bedroom. They had to get out of the house now.

"Mom! Dad! Wake up! We need to leave right now!" She yelled, going to the nightstand beside their bed. Her father kept two blasters locked in the drawer. "What's going on, Padme?" Her father asked, sleepily.

"Cad Bane is coming! They have weapons and they're going to break into the house." She explained, as calmly as she could. Her parents sprung out of bed, now fully alert.

"Get the key to the drawer, Ruwee. Padme, hide." Her mother ordered. Two loud crashes came from downstairs followed by the sound of fast moving footsteps in the kitchen.

"No! I have to help you!" Padme exclaimed, but her mother was already gone. She turned back to the nightstand where her father was taking out two blasters.

"Listen to your mother, Padme. We can take care of ourselves. There's a door in Sola's bedroom that leads to a dumbwaiter. Get to it and hide. Now." He commanded.

"I'm the one they want. They'll kill you if they can't find me!" She told him, but he brushed past her to the door.

"Do as we say." He said, and he was gone. Padme was not one to disobey her father, but she would not hide from Bane while he killed her family. She had to fight.

* * *

_The Republic Star_

"Captain Skywalker," the deck officer called. Anakin stood from the pilot's seat, hoping it was good news. "We've encountered a few obstacles in our pursuit of Bane. No one can seem to verify his exact coordinates on Naboo at this time and his ship is impossible to lock onto to. He must have a cloaking device." The officer explained. Anakin lowered his head. "There's more, Sir. I've been informed that _The Star _lacks enough fuel to continue traveling at lightspeed. We must shut down the hpyerdrive. That will put us outside Naboo's atmosphere in three standard hours instead of one." Anakin clenched his fists.

"We don't have time to come out of lightspeed! I need to get to Naboo now!" He shouted.

"That is impossible, Captain. I do have some good news, however." The officer said, wincing.

"Whatever it is, it won't be good _enough._" Anakin gruffly replied, sinking back into the pilot's seat.

"General Grievous has landed on Sluis Van. It's only minutes away from our current position. We could trap him." The officer continued.

"Right now, we need to focus on Bane. I _know _he has my Padawan. He could be torturing her for Republic secrets. The only thing Grievous is doing at the moment is counting stolen credits."

"But Captain, the _Star _cannot continue on its course to Naboo and, as we both know, Padawan Tano has been trained to handle torture techniques—"

"She's just a Padawan! Are you asking me to give up on her because it's not convenient for the fleet?"

"It's not a matter of convenience, Captain Skywalker! It's an impossibility!"

"Then, prepare the _Constellation _for take-off. I'm going alone!"

"Captain, the _Constellation _is still undergoing repairs. The hyperdrive may not function properly! Even if it does you are still flying blind without Bane's exact coordinates!" The officer exclaimed.

"I will take that risk. As far as Bane's coordinates go, I have a feeling I know exactly where he is." Anakin replied. _Though, I hope I'm wrong. _

"Who will command the ship?" The officer asked. Anakin thought for a minute.

"Tell Rex to get up here. He'll command the ship while I'm gone."

"A clone? Sir, if I might suggest…"

"I've had enough of your suggestions, officer. Rex is well equipped to handle this situation. Follow the order." Anakin demanded. The officer sighed.

"Very well, Captain. I will have the _Constellation _removed from repair and readied for take-off as soon as possible." Anakin nodded shortly and started for the docking bay.

"I hope he knows what he's doing." The officer sighed.

* * *

_Naboo_

Ruwee Nabberie was not weak. Nor was he a stranger to defending his family from attack. When his daughter was first elected queen, he had served as her main bodyguard until a more trustworthy staff could be hired. His skills with a blaster might have been a little rusty, but he could still defend them now. He carefully followed his wife and Darred down the steps. The crashes and footsteps from earlier had dissipated into silence. They were waiting.

As they rounded the corner, guns at the ready, three tall figures pulled ropes around them. Ruwee shot twice and struggled away from them. He had wounded the tallest one, but the other two were tying up Darred and Jobal. He aimed his gun, ready to shoot them, when he felt a sharp sting in his shoulder. The gun fell from his hands as he dropped to his knees. His breath left him in a rush.

"Ruwee!" Jobal screamed. Behind him, Cad Bane had a blaster pointed at his head.

"Feisty." He said, walking over to his victim and kicking him hard in the back. Ruwee fell forward onto his chest. The snipers gagged and bound the two stragglers and kicked them to the floor beside him. Bane smiled and walked up the stairs. "Oh, Senator!" he called, mockingly. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

In a closet at the end of the hall, Padme put a hand over her mouth to silence her trembling breath. In her other hand, she held a blaster behind her back, ready to fire. A loud crack sounded through the hallway as Bane kicked in her bedroom door.

"I'm not a fan of hide-and-seek, Senator! Believe me, I'm a very sore loser." His threats hung in the silence. "You can ask your husband's Padawan about just how sore a loser I am." Padme wasn't surprised he knew about their marriage, nor did she have any doubt he would use it against her.

"Speaking of your husband," he said, kicking in another door, "He'll try to rescue you. And when he does, I'll be waiting… but I'm all for romance, Senator. I'll make sure you get to say goodbye before he dies." The sounds of his heavy steel boots grew louder as he came closer to the closet. Padme gripped the blaster in her hand as hard as she could, feeling the fear in her chest swell into anger. Another loud crack echoed through the hall as he kicked in the last door. "My patience is wearing thin, milady." He growled. Padme shut her eyes tight and drew a deep breath. Bane was just outside the door now. She could feel it. Summoning all of the strength she could, she quickly slammed open the door. Bane was abruptly knocked backwards, stumbling over his feet.

Padme fired three shots, two of them hitting him square in the chest and knocking him fully onto the floor.

"Get her!" He screamed, struggling to get to his blaster, which had slid across the hallway when he fell. Two snipers ran up the stairwell, aiming their riffles directly at her. She tried to shoot, but they were too fast. One of them grabbed her arms and pulled them tightly behind her back, causing the blaster to fall to the floor. She kicked her legs out behind her, managing to release their grip for a moment, but the other was right behind them. A short, silver rope was tied around her legs and a bright flash of hot lightning ran up her body. A loud scream ripped from her throat before the world went black. The last sound she heard was a chuckle, reverberating from Cad Bane's throat.

"Take her to the ship. Now!" He ordered, struggling to stand. His chest was bleeding through his dark clothing and he could hardly breathe. Were he human, he would have died right there on the floor, but Cad Bane was no mere human. Some doubted that he was even mortal. He picked up his blaster and snapped it onto his belt. There was one more thing to take care of. He removed small vile of purple gas from a bag tied to his belt. This would take care of the family. _No witnesses_. He thought. Everything was going according to plan.

* * *

_The Republic Star_

"The _Constellation _is ready for take-off, Captain." Anakin nodded to the officer and walked up to the ship. It still had dents and burn marks from its last flight, but it was flyable. R2-D2 had been severely damaged along with his starfighter in a battle days before, so he was stuck with the _Constellation _and R-14, for now.

Anakin strapped himself into the cockpit and signaled for the docking bay to be opened. Bringing up the coordinates pad on the computer, he ordered the computer to open the directory.

"Voice command?" The computer asked.

"Naboo-Padme." Anakin said.

"Voice command not recognized." It replied. Anakin sighed. He'd forgotten this wasn't his ship. His starfighter and the _Twilight _had coordinates for the 500 Republica and Padme's home on Naboo saved in the directory.

"Find coordinates." Anakin commanded.

"Location Information?" The computer asked.

"Theed, Naboo-Ruwee and Jobal Naberrie-2359."

"Coordinates found." It replied.

"Lock coordinates." Anakin ordered.

"Coordinates locked." The directory closed to reveal an overhead shot of the Naberrie home. At the ramp, an officer signaled that it was clear for Anakin to take-off. He lifted the ship off the docking bay and into the sky, carefully. Once he was a good distance away from the _Star_, heprepared for lightspeed.

"Alright, R14. We're going into lightspeed." He told the little droid, receiving some very apprehensive beeps in return. "Computer? Prepare for lightspeed." He commanded.

"Preparing for lightspeed. Fuel levels-check. Engines-check. Coordinates-check. Hyperdrive-check. Ship stability-check. External damage-slight. Internal damage-none. Preparation complete. Lightspeed ready." The computer replied.

"Initiate lightspeed." Anakin ordered. The engines revved and sputtered for a moment before the ship finally pulled into lightspeed. Anakin sighed in relief.

"See, R14? There's nothing to worry about…for you, at least."

* * *

Cad Bane's ship: Prisoner's Chamber

Ashoka slowly opened her eyes. A dull ache pounded throughout her entire body, leftover from the last bout of torture. She was so afraid. A trembling sigh escaped her lips as she tried to sit up, but her limbs wouldn't move. Naturally, her thoughts turned to Anakin. They always did when she was in trouble.

"I'm so sorry, Master… so, so sorry." She said, letting the tears flow freely down her cheeks. She wanted nothing more than to be with him now. He would tell her they would be okay, that he had some daring plan to get them out alive. She didn't have his skill. She could barely move, much less execute a plan.

The silence in the ship was broken by the sounds of scrambling footsteps. They were coming back to torture her again. She didn't think she could take it this time. They would scream at her, hit her, send hot electricity coursing through her veins… and she would die. It was inevitable now. She would never become a Jedi, never train her own padawan, never see the temple again… never see Anakin again. The dull ache in her body turned to raw heartache as the footsteps grew louder. She prepared herself as best she could for the pain that was drawing nearer every second. Then, finally, the large steel door clanged open and blinding light poured in. A loud _thump _echoed through the small room and something or _someone_ was thrown in beside her. The figure at the door mumbled something incoherent and slammed the door shut again, leaving her in darkness. A brief flood of relief took hold of Ashoka as she realized she wasn't going to be tortured again. Then, she turned to the unknown object beside her.

Carefully, she reached out with one hand until it met the bare flesh of a person's face. A very soft sigh could be heard, and then, "Ani…?" Ashoka gasped and pulled her hand away. "Senator Amidala?"

* * *

A/N: This is a short excerpt I found on Wikipedia that explains how General Grievous became a cyborg. I've incorporated some of it into the story already and will probably use the information for future chapters, as well. It's really interesting. I've always wondered what happened to him.

"During the war with the rival Huk, the Republic is called in to settle the dispute. Because the Huk world is rich in natural resources compared to the barren Kalee world, the Republic sides with Huk and sends several Jedi Knights to intervene on their behalf. Grievous (not yet a cyborg) and his armies are made to appear as the aggressors. Their homeworld is left in ruins. Grievous becomes a security chief for the Intergalactic Banking Clan. San Hill, leader of the clan, notices Grievous' strategic genius, fearlessness,[_clarification needed_] and skills. He is mentioned to the Confederacy of Independent Systems leader, Count Dooku. Led by Darth Sidious, the Sith Lords conspire to draw Grievous into the Separatist army. Despite Hill's generous offers, Grievous refuses to lead the Separatist army. During an attack by the Republic's armies on the clan's base, Grievous' shuttle, with a bomb already attached, explodes and crashes. Grievous is mortally wounded in the crash, kept alive by technology, a transfusion of blood from the deceased Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas, and Dooku's mastery of the dark side; his shattered body is taken to the planet Geonosis, where most of it is replaced with a droid body that complements his natural reflexes. Hill approaches him and offers him the chance to live again in a cybernetic body and lead the Separatist army. Grievous initially resists — he would much rather die a warrior's death than watch his body sustained by technology — but Hill eventually persuades him by appealing to his desire for revenge. In actuality, this was Hill's plan all along, as the Separatists had booby trapped Grievous' shuttle themselves, meaning to leave the General with no other choice than to accept. Dooku then trains him in lightsaber combat until he is one of the best duelists in the galaxy, and whips his resentment of the Jedi into a frenzy. The metamorphosis is then completed leaving Grievous one of the most fearsome warriors of the Separatists' army."


	7. Chapter 7: Trapped

**A/N: **I'm a bad person. I know.

**Chapter Seven: Trapped **

_The Constellation_

"Computer, how much longer until our arrival?" Anakin demanded.

"Estimated: 10 standard minutes, Captain." The computer replied. Anakin sighed and shut his eyes. His force perception was still too weak to feel for Padme's presence on Naboo. The gas had made his vision hazy and his hands shook at the controls. For the first time since his mother died, he felt powerless.

_ Wife. He thought. The word radiated in his mind. He had never felt such a deep connection to another human being, not even when his mother was alive. Padme was his entire world. He would do anything to make her happy. "I love you," he whispered, kissing her temple as she slept. She sighed, softly, and snuggled deeper into his embrace. He smiled contently. _

"Two minutes until arrival, Captain." The Computer droned. The familiar green-blue planet slowly filled his view screen.

_"Master? I'm sorry I disobeyed the order. I just thought—" Anakin scowled and clenched his fists tightly. "No! You weren't thinking at all." Ashoka recoiled, casting her eyes to the floor in shame. The word 'Commander' hanging in front of her name didn't change the fact that she was a fourteen year old child, thrown into leadership. She had endangered her life and that of every member in her squad for nothing._

_ "Go to your quarters, Ashoka." Anakin sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. It was hard enough taking care of himself without worrying about her every move, but she was his responsibility. _

_ "I—I'm so sorry. I thought we could make it… I thought—I just wanted you to see what I could do… that I'm not a child." Ashoka said, holding back a sob. _

_ "But you are a child, Snips," Anakin told her, more softly, "I don't doubt your skills. I've told you hundreds of times what an amazing Jedi I know you'll become, but it takes time. You have a lot to learn, young one." _

_ "But I…" _

"_Go to your quarters and rest. I don't want to talk about this anymore." Anakin interrupted. Ashoka nodded solemnly and left him. Something told him this wouldn't be the last time she disobeyed orders. Her pride had become as much of a problem as his, but he couldn't teach her humility. For now, he could only protect her. _

The ship touched down with a _thud_. Anakin's heart raced. Even through the haze in his force vision, he could feel the powerful tremors surrounding the Naberrie home. It was exactly as he'd feared. _Cad Bane_.

* * *

_Cad Bane's Ship: Prison Chamber_

Ashoka tried her best to sit Padme upright, but her arms had no strength. She was trembling from head to toe and felt sick to her stomach. The situation was far beyond her training. It was a nightmare. Though she wouldn't admit it, she was relieved to have someone with her. Padme was headstrong and intelligent. She would find some way to get them out of this mess.

"Mmm…" She heard. This time, Ashoka put her hand on the woman's back; trying her best to assure her someone was there.

"Senator Amidala, can you hear me?" She asked. Padme moved slightly under her hand, trying to sit up.

"Wh—who are you?" She whispered. With a low grunt, she moved onto her back and slowly pushed herself against the wall. She felt as if she'd been hit by a speeder. "Where am I?" Ashoka wasn't sure how to tell her.

"It's Ashoka, Anakin Skywalker's Padawan." She said, slowly. There was no reply. "We're in a prisoner's chamber on Cad Bane's ship." Again, silence. Ashoka thought, for a moment, the senator had lost consciousness again. "Senator?" She whispered.

"Ashoka," Padme whispered, brokenly. Reality came flooding back. The memory of shooting Bane, before the world went black, swirled in her pounding head. The rest was a frantic blur. "My family," she said, as shocked tears began rushing down her cheeks, "they're—they're dead."

"Oh, Padme," Ashoka whispered, "I'm so sorry." She put a hand on her shoulder as she heard the senator's breath begin to hitch in frantic sobs. For a long time, Padme kept her head buried in her arms, overwhelmed by emotion. Ashoka shut her eyes, desperately wishing she knew what to do. She had never felt such an agonizing sense of defenselessness in her life.

"I feel so helpless, like all of my training has been for nothing," she thought aloud, "Why do we even try, Padme? It's like the whole universe is against us. What if this is really the end, If Bane and Grievous win? Everything we've done will be meaningless. My entire life will just be meaningless." Her eyes shut tightly again, trying hard to find some glimmer of hope. Padme sighed, letting the Padawan's words sink in. Images of a time when she was much younger flashed through her mind. She remembered feeling the same way, but hearing a speech that gave her hope.

"No," Padme said, angrily, "It's not meaningless, Ashoka. Even if there isn't a victory, we still had the courage to fight. And if we die then we died fighting for something we believed in. I know sometimes it seems like the situation is hopeless and the universe is against you, but those are the times you learn the most about yourself. And you're stronger than you think, young one."

Outside of the door, footsteps could now be heard coming closer every second. "Don't let them see you weak. We'll get through this together." Ashoka nodded and sat up as straight as she could. Though she was terrified, her face was hard and angry. She could do this. The door opened.

* * *

_The Naberrie Home_

Anakin stepped quickly through the broken glass covering the side entrance. The entire house seemed to be engulfed by an ominous air, looming in the darkness. He didn't know what he would find, but he knew it wasn't going to be good. The sound of his boots echoed through the empty kitchen as he walked through to the hallway and flipped on a small light. The living and dining rooms were equally empty, leaving only the foyer and second floor. Suddenly, an image of his wife lying dead in her bedroom flashed through his mind and a cold shiver overtook him. He stopped in the middle of the hall and closed his eyes. _Get a hold of yourself. She's not dead. She can't be._

"Hello?" He heard. He turned to where the quiet, weary voice had come from and darted towards the front foyer. At the end of the hall, by the stairwell, Ruwee Naberrie had propped himself against the wall. He was tied up and bleeding badly through his white nightshirt. Beside him, Padme's mother and brother-in-law were tied together, both unconscious and covered with fresh bruises. Anakin quickly kneeled beside Ruwee and looked over his injuries.

"What happened? Where's Padme?" He asked, breathlessly. Ruwee coughed, painfully and drew in a deep breath.

"Anakin, listen to me," he wheezed, "Bane took Padme. The snipers… said they were going to Sluis Van. Follow them. Find her." Anakin nodded, frantically.

"I will, Sir. I promise," he replied. Ruwee nodded, weakly. "I'll signal a medical transport for you." Anakin said, standing up to retrieve his communicator. Quickly, he punched in the emergency code and reached the medical operator. "This is Anakin Skywalker. I need a medical transport sent to Theed, Naboo 2359 code 48-003, immediately. Three people are seriously injured, one of them has been shot." Once the operator had entered in the information and confirmed that a medical transport had been dispatched, he knelt by Ruwee again. "The medical team is on their way. They'll take care of you." He told him.

"Good," he rasped, "You need to go _now_." Anakin shook his head, "No, I can't leave you alone." Ruwee coughed again and lifted his hand to push the young man away. "Go. She… she needs you," he whispered. When Anakin gave him another apprehensive look, he added, "I'll be fine. _Go._" The Jedi nodded and stood up. With one last hesitant look at his father-in-law he turned and headed for his ship.

* * *

_The Republic Star _

Obi-Wan blinked, wearily, as the fluorescent lights of the medical bay filled his vision. He had woken up to those lights many times before, but never to this much pain. His head and neck felt like they were on fire. An agonizing sigh left his mouth, causing the medical droid on duty to notice he was awake.

"Welcome back, General," it said, floating over to him. With a painful turn of his head, he looked at the mechanical figure.

"What's happened to me?" He asked, tiredly. The medical droid slowly retrieved his chart from the desk and began to read its diagnosis in complex medical terminology. "Could you read that in English, please?" Obi-Wan sighed.

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Sir. I was reading it in English. If you'd like me to—" If he didn't think it would be excruciatingly painful, Obi-Wan would have rolled his eyes. He'd almost forgotten that medical droids weren't programmed for sarcasm.

"Never mind," he sighed, "Where is Anakin?" The droid blinked the LCD eyes on its front screen.

"I'm afraid I don't know who you are referring to, Sir." It replied.

"What do you know?" Obi-Wan asked, sarcastically.

"Oh, many things! I am programmed with an advanced knowledge in eight different medical fields, including…" The droids voice faded out as Obi-Wan shut his eyes, again. He suddenly felt very tired, and sleep seemed a lot more welcoming than the dark presence that was starting to edge back into his memory.

* * *

_Cad Bane's Ship: Prisoner's Chamber _

A loud _clang _echoed in the chamber as white light flooded around a tall shadow. "You know, for a senator, you're awfully feisty. I might need bacta for those blaster wounds." The cracked voice of Cad Bane rang through the cell. Padme scowled.

"Why are you doing this Bane? Or should I ask, who's paying you to do this?" She spat. Bane chuckled to himself and stepped further inside.

"That's a secret, milady. But, I guess I could let you in on one thing. We're going on a little trip to see the Separatists. They're anxious to see you." He grinned.

"It won't be a very long visit." Padme replied, "Since I'm sure The Republic army is just as anxious to see _them._" Bane grimaced at this.

"The Republic Army is nothing but a bunch of fools. Besides, with their two best generals dead I doubt they'll be much of an opposition." He countered.

"Anakin is not dead. You said so yourself." Padme replied, more weakly. The dizziness in her head was starting to blur her vision. Ashoka, however, felt a surge of hope somewhere below the pain. Her master was alive.

"Soon enough, he will be," Bane replied, "and the two of you, as well." Imagining Senator Amidala lying dead somewhere on Sluis Van was getting to be his most anticipated fantasy. He was tired of dealing with her. "That's enough chitchat. I don't want any escape plans out of you." He said, and signaled another tall figure inside. It knelt between the two prisoners and took out a large piece of cloth. Before Padme could react, the figure pushed it against her nose and mouth until her eyelids fell and her head drooped to the side.

"Stop it! Stop!" Ashoka yelled, weakly. She tried to push the figure's hands away from Padme's face, but one strong swipe stilled her.

"What about the Padawan?" The figure asked, darkly. Bane scoffed, "Don't waste your time. As long as we keep the Senator sedated, we won't get any trouble from either of them." With that, the figure stood and stomped out of the cell, slamming them back into darkness with another loud _clang_. Ashoka sighed, "Stay strong. Just stay strong."

* * *

_Cad Bane's Ship: Cockpit _

Bane pressed one hand to his chest and let out an agitated sigh. The bleeding hadn't stopped, and a sharp pain continuously pounded against his chest, but he'd been shot before. It was all part of the job. Slumping down in the copilot's seat, he scrounged for the communicator in his pocket and signaled Grievous.

"This had better be good news," came the gruff, mechanical voice on the other end.

"I've taken Senator Amidala prisoner. Is that good enough for you, General?" Bane grinned, arrogantly. Grievous coughed loudly on the other end. His health had gotten worse over the years and, though his medic urged him to accept another surgery, he adamantly refused to submit to any more changes. Once the fit was over, he drew in a deep breath.

"Good," he rasped, "It seems you are finally living up to your reputation."

"I told you. I never leave a job unfinished. We'll be arriving within the hour. The Senator is sedated and Skywalker's Padawan has proven much weaker than I expected." Bane replied.

"Yes. I look forward to adding her lightsaber to my collection." Grievous said, maliciously, "Signal me when you're preparing to land and see to it that this mission continues smoothly. Even the smallest failure could give Skywalker an edge."

"Don't worry about that. Skywalker and his little lady will be dead before the day is through." Bane shut off the communicator and sat back in the seat. The stars streaked by, but he didn't see them. All he could see were credits. Half a billion credits.

* * *

_The Constellation _

"Computer, patch me through to the _Republic Star._" Anakin commanded. The display screen went blank for a few seconds then a loud _booming _sounded through his headset and Rex's frantic voice yelled over it.

"General Skywalker," he shouted, "We've run into a little problem." Another loud _boom _was heard over the connection, this time followed by the sounding of the battle alarms.

"What's the situation, Rex?" Anakin asked, hurriedly.

"Separatist bombers. They've got the ship surrounded. They've already blown two of the turrets and we're under heavy fire! We've got three squads left, General. It's not enough men!" He replied.

"Hold them off for as long as you can, Rex. Stay in position and wait for reinforcements." Anakin told him.

"I'm not sure how much more damage the ship can take, General," Rex shouted. Another loud _boom _was heard as the main deck shook from the impact. "Bastards! They're blowing the turbolaser cannons!"

"Stay in position, Rex. The _Star _has made it through a lot of rough battles. All you can do now is keep hitting them with all you've got until reinforcements arrive."

"Yes, sir. I never back down without a fight!" Rex replied. The connection cut off suddenly, leaving Anakin in silence. _A little good news would be nice. _He thought, rubbing his eyes in exhaustion. The display screen flashed _35 standard minutes _until the ship reached Sluis Van. At the least, his head was starting to clear up. He could feel a slight tingle of the force around him, weak but steady. He shut his eyes and let out a long sigh. The whir of the ship's engine filled his ears as he let his shoulder slump from their tense position.

"They're okay," he whispered to himself, "Everything will be okay." As he let his fingers relax from their grip on the controls, he felt a strange sensation. At first, it was just a slight spark in his head, like someone had shocked him. Then, it got more intense. He focused on it, trying his best to summon the tiny tremors of the force that surrounded him. Then, he heard it: _Master? _

* * *

**A/N: I hope you liked this chapter. I promise I won't make you wait nine months for the next one ;) **


	8. Chapter 8: Danger on Sluis Van

A/N: Thank you so much for reviewing, everyone! Sorry about the wait. College has kept me busy, but I will update much faster now that I'm finished with exams.

Chapter Eight: Danger on Sluis Van

_The Constellation_

"Ashoka?" Anakin muttered.

_I'm so afraid. _

"Ashoka, can you hear me?"

_I can't do this anymore, Master. Where are you?_

"I can hear you!" He shouted. Then he realized he shouldn't be shouting, he should be thinking—connecting. He had to reach her through the force. He closed his eyes and concentrated all his thoughts on her presence. "Come on." He whispered, feeling the tremors begin to center and grow stronger around him.

"_Ashoka?" _He questioned. His inner-voice shot through the force like a ship through the vast, black expanse of space.

"_Master? Is that you?" _He could feel her relief, hovering atop layers of dread and uncertainty.

"_Are you all right? What's going on?" _He asked, frantically.

"_It's Bane. He kidnapped Senator Amidala. They're taking us to a separatist base—_

"_Padme—is she okay?" _Anakin interrupted.

"_She's unconscious. One of Bane's snipers knocked her out so she wouldn't try to escape when we land." _Anakin flinched. _"I don't know what to do, Master."_

"_Just stay calm, Ashoka. I've got the coordinates of the base and I'm coming after you. You just have to take care of yourself until I can get there."_

"_I'll try," _she thought, weakly,_ "I wish you were here."_

Her feelings rippled in waves through their bond, filling Anakin with an eerie dread. _"You can handle this," _he said, finally, _"Make sure you watch over Padme." _

If she had possessed the strength, she would have rolled her eyes. _"She'll be fine, Master. She's stronger than the both of us put together." _

Anakin smiled, slightly, _"I know." _

Ashoka sighed, deeply. He was always worried about Padme. Sometimes, she caught him streaming Couruscant news reports to the ship late at night, waiting for some small sight of her in the senate—or watching the midday speeches, smiling sadly at the screen as she talked about a call for peace. She had suspected for a long time that there was something more to their friendship, but ignored it for her own sake. She couldn't take it anymore.

"_You love her, don't you?" _She asked, quietly. She could feel his mind tighten in the force, surprised at the question. But then, it all went clear. The stress and worry, the countless hours of built-up anger disappeared—replaced by one absolute, undeniable certainty.

"_Yes." _

"_I was afraid of that." _She admitted, feeling her exhausted face start to blush. Anakin sighed. Obi-Wan was right, and he hated when Obi-Wan was right.

"_Ashoka, you're my padawan. I care about you because you're my responsibility—_

"_I don't want to be just a responsibility." _

"_Ashoka…" _He could feel her pain in the force, radiating in the same patterns as when Padme rejected him by the fireplace on Naboo.

"_I know. It's wrong." _She admitted, sadly, _ "I'm starting to understand why attachment is forbidden. All it does is hurt you." _ Anakin frowned.

"_I'm sorry, I…" _but there was nothing more he could say, _"Just hang in there for a little while longer." _He felt a slight nod of recognition in the force and the connection went blank. Reaching out to feel her presence, he met a steel wall of resistance. She was blocking him.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Control Room_

Grievous paced, impatiently, across the metal floor of receiving bay 9B. Security monitors hung in neat lines across the front wall, jutting above a large view screen that peered out at a lifeless flight deck.

"What's taking them so long?" He growled. A small, orange battle droid tinkered up beside him.

"I'm sure they will arrive soon, General." It piped in a nasally voice. Grievous flicked his metal wrist, sending the droid flying across the room into a steel-plated wall.

"_Ow_," It said, "I was only trying to be supportive." A loud beeping filled the room as the communicator in his angered grip began to flash.

"What is it?" He asked, irritably.

"I hope your tone does not mean things haven't gone according to plan, General. My master will not be pleased if you've lost control of the situation _again._" came a smooth voice.

"Count Dooku," Grievous replied, "Everything has been executed perfectly; I assure you. The credits are secure and San Hill has been taken care of."

"And what of the Republic Army?"

"They are no threat to us. General Kenobi is dead and my fleet has trapped the _Republic Star._ It will be destroyed within the hour."

"General Kenobi…?" Dooku repeated, "And Skywalker?" He thought back to a strange conversation he had had with his master a few days before.

"_Skywalker must be kept alive." _

"_I don't understand," Dooku said, shocked, "He is the most decorated General in the Republic Army. If he were to be killed…"_

"_He has great potential, my apprentice. I sense much anger in him—resentment towards the Jedi. If he could be turned, he would make a powerful ally for the Sith." _

Turned? Skywalker was weak—reckless with his powers. _"He is just a boy. I have fought him myself." _

"_He has grown far more powerful since you faced him on Geonosis. I have seen his hatred. He struggles to remain faithful to the Council."_

"_And if he is turned? Who will train him?"_

"_You, of course." _Dooku scowled. He knew his master well. _"If General Grievous should suddenly become skilled in leading an Army, see that he leaves Skywalker untouched." _

"_Yes, Master." _

"I have taken care of him," Grievous said proudly, "He will be dead by tomorrow."

"Good," Dooku replied. If Skywalker were killed, Grievous would be to blame. He would not let his master replace him so easily. "I will contact you with a meeting location soon. Wait for my signal."

"Of course." Grievous shut off the communicator and turned his attention back to the flight deck. The sky was turning a deep, ashen gray, as nightfall grew closer. He sighed thickly, feeling the lungs behind his metal exterior contract and expand. Any victory he had tonight would be hollow in the grand scheme of things, but a failure would be much worse.

* * *

_Cad Bane's Ship: Cockpit_

The camouflage-colored atmosphere of Sluis Van slowly drifted into view as Cad Bane finished bandaging his wounded chest. A thick scab was forming underneath his clothing, but he pushed the pain to the back of his mind. He had a job to finish.

"Five minutes until landing, Sir," the captain told him, guiding the ship towards the planet's smoggy exterior. Bane nodded and stumbled slightly as he stood from the co-pilot's seat. In the darkness of the cabin, all three snipers sat against the left wall, polishing and reloading their weapons.

"We're landing," Bane told them, "Two of you need to carry the prisoners." The two men stood and headed towards the prisoner's chamber. The woman stayed against the wall, refusing to make eye contact.

"If anything goes wrong during this mission, you had better be prepared to improvise. One more failure and you can forget about a paycheck." He spat. She glared at him and nodded, coldly.

* * *

_Cad Bane's Ship: Prisoner's Chamber_

Ashoka swiped angrily at the tears streaming down her cheeks. Beside her, she could feel Padme's force signature blurring in the force. It made her happy. She wanted the woman to suffer. Some part of her, deep down in the restrained, impulsive depths of her mind, wanted Padme to die. Anakin cared more about the senator than her and it _hurt,_ more than she ever imagined emotional pain could. She understood so clearly now, why attachment was forbidden. Master Yoda always told her to let go, but she had refused. It was crawling, now, out of locked away spaces: the dark side of the force. She wanted to murder someone. She wanted to feel the power, the satisfaction of revenge, to put Cad Bane through the same tortures that he had put her through. Her heart burned with dark, vengeful passion and she accepted it. It nourished her like a deep breath of fresh air, flowed through her veins and gave her new energy. _Bane will pay. _Her inner voice hissed.

Outside of the door, footsteps clamored down the hallway. Ashoka listened for a moment, planning her next move. When they grew silent in front of the chamber door, she quickly fell limp against the back wall. The door opened.

"Get up, Jedi Scum!" One of the snipers screamed. She sighed, weakly, and slowly moved her cuffed arms in attempt to get up. The two figures studied her for a moment.

"She can barely move," the other snorted, "_some Jedi._" He lifted her up and flung her limp body over one shoulder in one swift, aggressive, movement. The other followed and did the same with Padme. Her head lolled against his back as he stalked out of the small room.

Ashoka could hear the sound of the landing gear being deployed under the ship, followed by a rough _bump _as they hit the cracked ground of the planet.

"Hurry up," Bane ordered; pushing the two snipers down the ramp, "the General is waiting." Ashoka moved her head slightly, waiting for the perfect moment to take action. They descended the ramp, closely followed by Bane and three armed droids. She had to be fast. One bad move and it was over. Before long she felt the cool, circulated air of the base encompass her as they passed through a steel door. Above them, a black catwalk stretched along the ceiling before cornering off into different hallways. If she managed to escape, she could get up to the ceiling and outrun them.

She counted in her head: _3—2—1… _and kicked herself out of the sniper's grasp. Like lightning, she reached for his thick neck, twisting it under her tied hands until she heard the snap and his lifeless form fell to the ground. Bane pulled the gun from his belt and shot straight for her chest, but she flipped and missed the bullet. Two more flips off the right wall and she hit the floor of the catwalk.

"Get her!" Bane screamed. The female sniper ran along the hallway, shooting repeatedly above her as Ashoka barreled down the black landing. Just ahead, it connected with an air vent. She summoned every particle of strength she had to lift its steel cover away from the opening and crawled inside.

"Son of a bitch!" The sniper cursed, sending three final shot up to the ceiling before turning to face Bane. He walked, briskly, down the hallway. The scowl plastered on his wrinkled lips told her there would be no paycheck in her future. Then he pointed his blaster at her throat.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Control Room _

Grievous fixed his yellowed, reptilian eyes on the air-locked doors of the control room. This was it. He finally had something over Anakin Skywalker. Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead. He would be remembered for this success, centuries after the war had ended: a supreme victory for the Separatist Army. Yet, he couldn't feel it. Very few parts of him were still alive. His legs and arms were riddled with steel bolts and rusting metal joints, his face was made of dirt-covered ivory steel, and his eyes had become so animalistic he could hardly recognize them as belonging to the being he was. He was a machine because of the Separatists, because of that bastard San Hill. Deep down, he knew he was nothing but a pawn to them. Count Dooku regarded him as a child playing a game of war with his toys. Perhaps now, he would take him more seriously.

As he turned to the view screen, the doors emitted a loud _snap-hiss_ and separated to reveal Cad Bane and a rough, young man carrying the unconscious senator. Bane stumbled slightly forwards, clearly agitated by something. He gestured toward the shock generator at the corner of the room.

"Cuff her to that," he rasped. The sniper obliged. Bane turned to Grievous, not interested in beating around the bush. "The Padawan is somewhere in the air vents."

"You lost her? I should have known better than to trust a bounty hunter." Grievous snarled.

"Listen to me, you rusting pile of bolts, I've caught and killed more beings than you and your dismal excuse for an army could possibly dream so I wouldn't be so hasty, if I were you." Bane spat. "I will find her and, when I do, she will pay for the trouble she's cau-" His feet suddenly lifted off the ground, a phantom grip tightening threateningly around his shallow neck.

"_I _could end you with a flick of my wrist," Grievous replied, dangerously. "Find her and bring her to me. If she escapes, you will not leave this base alive." Just as quickly as he had seized him, Grievous released Bane back to the floor, where he stumbled down to his knees and gasped for breath. He fought for words, fuming with trapped anger, but none would come from his desperate lungs. He scowled, slowly coming to his feet, and turned back to the door. As he passed though the large frame, his vision beginning to blur in time with the throbbing of his chest.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Air Vent 4C_

Ashoka crawled towards a slatted opening at the end of the air duct. The fluorescent lights of the hallway striped in distorted rays across her face as she approached it and peered down, finding a long line of doors looming over a marble floor. The sound of metal clanking against stone echoed down the corridor as three super battle droids passed through and stopped. Ashoka narrowed her eyes and studied them carefully. They stood outside one of the doors as if they were waiting for something. Then, she heard the sounds of _whom _they were waiting for. Cad Bane stumbled down the hallway, weakly, with one hand pressed to his chest and flashed an access key over the sensor before going in. She backed away, feeling her breath catch slightly in her lungs. _Concentrate, _she thought, _Calm yourself. _She moved back to the vent, holding her breath as she watched the door. A few moments later, he emerged carrying two high-powered blaster riffles and a stun gun, clipped to his belt. He signaled for the droids to follow. Ashoka backed against the side of the vent and drew in a deep breath. _I need a passkey._

* * *

_The Constellation _

"Two minutes until arrival, Captain." The computer announced, flashing the round atmosphere of Sluis Van across the middle screen.

"Thank you," Anakin said, absent-mindedly. His mind was still submerged in the force, searching for Padme's presence. He could _just _feel her, as if he were lightly touching the edges of her aura, but unable to connect. _Padme… I'm almost there… _He thought in a mantra, hoping she would somehow hear him.

* * *

A/N: I really appreciate those of you who have stuck with this story despite my tendency not to update for months. I promise I won't make you wait much longer for the end.

Next Chapter: The Choice


	9. Chapter 9: The Choice

A/N: Thank you for reviewing and being patient, everyone. I really appreciate it!

**Daedal** brought to my attention that I've been spelling Ahsoka's name wrong, which I feel like an idiot about. I will go back and correct that in the other chapters when I get a chance.

**Babybluecebu** also pointed out, in the last chapter, that General Grievous doesn't actually have force powers. I guess I figured that because Count Dooku trained him he knew how to use the force, but I will also correct that.

* * *

Chapter Nine: The Choice

_Sluis Van: Control Room _

"Ani…" Padme whispered, lolling her head against the shock generator. The sniper starred at her, his brows furrowed.

"General, she's waking." He announced. Grievous turned from the view screen, clasping a lightsaber in his metal hand. Padme opened her eyes slowly, squinting against the bright lights above her. Her brain pounded in a steady rhythm against her skull as the room filtered through her eyes in a blur.

"Senator Amidala," she heard a gruff voice say, "how nice of you to finally join us." Her brown eyes turned, painfully, to the harrowing metal body that towered above her.

"Grievous," she rasped, "I should have known." The General chuckled, bitterly, as he began to pace in front of her prison-hold.

"It's been far too long, Senator," he began, "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Last time you kidnapped me, the Republic destroyed your most prized ship," Padme replied, a little more softly than she intended, "Who knows what they'll do this time." Grievous stopped pacing and narrowed his yellowed eyes on her soft face.

"You have too much faith in the Republic, _milady_," he spat.

"No more than you have in a bunch of scrap metal," she shot back. Grievous scoffed and snapped around to the control panel behind her.

"Still the same incessant dedication," he said, starting up the display screen, "That will change."

His skeletal fingers tinkered at the keyboard until a countdown appeared on the screen, flashing: _Five, Four, Three, Two, One, Commence—_and wide bolts of lightning coursed through Padme's already weakened form. Though it had the same effects, it was different than Bane's electroshock device. There was a certain spike to the pain. It came like millions of sharp pricks, barbed wire, or broken glass, and it told her the machine's purpose wasn't only to torture her. It was going to kill her.

_She came into the living area to find him standing at one of the large floor to ceiling windows."Padme, look," she heard him say as he gestured toward the glass. She came beside him, laying her hand over the smooth, navy blue cloth of his robe. It was raining heavily and the lake was beginning to flood slightly over the banks, but anything beyond that was completely normal. _

"_What is it?" She asked, softly. The nineteen year old's features brightened with a wondrous smile, "It's raining." _

_She couldn't help but smile with him, moved by how excited he was over something she took for granted. "You've never been to a planet where it's rained before?" She asked, linking an arm through his. _

"_No," he answered, "It's so hard to believe—On Tatooine, people spend weeks trying to gather a few gallons of water. Here, it just falls out of the sky." She laid her head on his arm, watching the summer shower as it drenched the fields and turned them bright green. _

"_I've never thought of it that way," she told him. He moved his arm tenderly across her back, pulling her closer to his side. They stood there until the rain began to taper off and the shaaks leisurely trudged out from under the trees. _

"_I love you," he whispered. She smiled softly and turned her head up to face him. His blue eyes captured hers, melting her in his grasp. Such a brilliant blue never belonged in the deserts of Tatooine. Slowly, she leaned closer until their noses softly touched and their breath warmed each other's faces. _

"_I love you, too. I always will," she told him, closing the small space between their lips. She wanted to live in this moment forever, for him to never leave her again. At least—she had something to come back to when he was gone. _

As the sparks filled her from head to toe, her tender throat screamed out, "Anakin!"

* * *

_Sluis Van: Air Vent 4C_

Ahsoka shut her eyes, feeling them burn at the edges. The sounds of tiny metal feet were growing closer outside of the vent, likely from one of Grievous's stout service droids. She unhooked the metal cover from its groove and moved it to the side, leaving her completely exposed to the corridor. Then, leaning slightly over the edge, she saw the tiny droid waddle towards her. _Concentrate, _she thought, ignoring the pounding in her head and limbs.

She jumped, knocking the machine to the ground. It struggled under her weight, muttering nasally protests as she yanked the dark blue passkey from its side. Moving as silently as possible, she stood up and summoned any force power left to shove the droid into the abandoned air duct and close it with the metal cover.

She scanned the key over the pad of the artillery bunker, receiving a quiet _hiss _as the door opened.

The hallway fell silent.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Corridor 5G_

Cad Bane was beyond irritated. He struggled down another long corridor, limping slightly due to the increasing weakness in his legs. _Where are you? _He thought, eyeing each vent cover carefully.

"My scanners do not detect any other living beings on this floor," one of the droids said, mechanically. Bane ignored it, concentrating on the distant sound of movement above them.

"My scanners detect just the opposite," another began, "There are…"

"Everybody shut up!" He held one hand up to the ceiling, following the sound across the hall until it stopped over a vent to their right. He aimed his gun, ready to kill.

A few loud _clangs _and a small body jumped out of the vent. Bane shot three rounds directly into its chest. Then, he really looked at it.

"It is just a service droid, Sir," one droid offered, "There is no need for overkill."

"I know what it is!" Bane bellowed, staring at the broken metal body. He limped forward, inspecting the deep, black holes on its chest. There was something off about it.

"It's missing its passkey," he concluded, after a moment, "She probably stole it to gain access to the artillery bunker." He kicked the smoking form, receiving a sputter and a few sparks in return. "We'll split up. You three," he said, motioning the droids, "trace back the way we came. She's probably somewhere behind us."

"But Sir, you are injured," one droid said, "You should not be left alone."

"I can take care of myself," he growled, "Now, go. I don't have forever."

* * *

_The Constellation: Sluis Van_

The surface of Sluis Van was an ashen-grey wasteland. Mountains of black rock towered out of the dead ground and the air was filled with thick smog and debris. Anakin steered over one particularly high peak, the sleek silver exterior of _The Constellation _shining against the black. He could feel that he was close to the base.

"_Anakin!" _He heard through the force. The shrill sense of panic stabbed at his heart.

"I'm coming, Padme," he whispered. He passed over another long set of mountains. Through the thick brown fog, he could see the lights of a skyscraper surrounded by armed vehicles and a landing deck. Its force presence was so strong he could almost hear it speaking to him.

"Gotcha," he said, angling the ship down.

The ship landed quietly behind a large, black rock. Anakin switched on the locator, letting the crew of _The Star _that heknow he had made it safely, and took a deep breath. He leapt from the cockpit, running as fast as he could toward the building that was now towering above him. He summoned his lightsaber into his right hand and prepared for whatever droids were guarding the entrance. From his right, four blasters shots barreled toward him from a droideka. He deflected them, scowling as they hit the bubble-like shield surrounding the machine. Just above the front entrance, two machine-turrets caught sight of him in their red crosshairs and began firing rapidly in his direction.

"Why do they even try?" He asked, smugly, as the turrets combusted under the fire of the deflected lasers. He jumped as high as he could and landed with a loud _hiss_ on top of the droideka, slicing it in half with the blade of his saber. From the left, seven super battle droids marched out from behind an armed vehicle.

"Hault, Jedi. You are under arrest," one of them droned. Anakin scowled and barreled toward them. With barely enough time to aim their wrist-rockets, he sliced each one in half, leaving only a smoking pile of metal on the cracked ground. He kicked the head of a dead super out of his way and scanned the area for any other distractions. Had the Separatists truly wanted to kill him, they would have been far more heavily armed. Eight droids and two turrets were a mere "Welcome" gift.

Anakin sighed and looked toward the front entrance. He could slice a hole through the door and waltz in, but that seemed to be giving them an advantage they were waiting for. He'd have to find an ulterior entrance: one they wouldn't be expecting.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Corridor 5F_

Ahsoka had always been good at hide-and-seek. When she was a child, she had attributed it to good hiding skills and sharp vision, but now she knew that wasn't it. There had always been an advantage. When the other children got near her, she could _feel _it: like a small tingle in her mind, emitting from every living thing around her. She could find all of her friends in a minute flat and no one understood why.

She was later told that it was because of the force—and it wasn't a children's game anymore. In war, the game of hide-and-seek didn't end with everyone going home for dinner; it ended with death. Ahsoka rounded another corner, stretching down every corridor with the force. She had never felt more prepared for anything. After all, she still had the advantage.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Corridor 5G_

Cad Bane had never felt so weak. His vision was so blurred, he could hardly make out where the walls of the long hallway began and ended. His legs wobbled beneath him, drawing a scowl across his paled face-but failure was never an option in his field of work, especially so close to the monumental reward of half a billion credits.

The rays of the florescent lights danced in the air like ghosts, taunting him. He blinked rapidly, trying to make them disappear, but the hallway continued to blur together. The walls were closing in on him and his breathing was shallow. He shot at the wall, having seen a shadow come across it, but there was nothing now.

"Show yourself!" He bellowed. Another shadow passed through the corner of his eye.

"Looking for me?" She said. He spun around quickly, aimed his gun for the young Togurta, and shot four times. She dodged them, nimbly, leaping from wall to wall as he continued shooting, feeling the air drain from his lungs. He stumbled backward, trying to steady his aim, but she was too fast. One shot, he knew, would kill him. His only choice was pity.

"Wait," he wheezed, throwing one hand in the air as he fell to his knees. "Wait, please. I'm wounded. I can't fight you." The padawan stopped in front of his limp body, using the force to remove the blaster from his hand.

"Are—are you going to kill me?" He asked.

"I have every right to," she ground out, aiming her blaster directly for his head.

"It wouldn't be the Jedi way," he said.

"I don't care about the _Jedi way_." She replied, darkly.

"Then do it," he rasped, brokenly, "I have nothing to live for." Ahsoka grasped the blaster tightly between her hands, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. She could feel the bounty hunter's pain radiating through the force. He was already severely injured. He looked up at her from beneath his wide, brown hat: a smug, yellowed grin spreading across his face.

"You can't, can you?" He asked. She didn't move. Her arms were fixated in their position, ready to fire the shot that would end his life. She just had to pull the trigger. "You'll be rewarded for bringing me back alive," Bane continued, slowly standing from his crouch on the floor, "The Jedi Council," he breathed unevenly, "will praise you for your self-control." She stood there, frozen. Her arms were shaking in anger. _Do it. _She thought. _Do it! _

"Put the gun down and I promise I'll cooperate," he continued, but her fingers were glued to pistol. She scowled, thinking of all the torture, thinking of her master—she might never see him again because of this monster. The anger bubbled up inside her, filling every pore. Her eyes burned. "Put it d…" She took the shot.

He stopped midsentence, staring down in shock at the fresh wound she had created in his chest. His knees finally gave out, causing him to fall against the hard marble floor. Blood began to pool around his limp body, but his arms still moved in a strangled attempt to get up. She took aim and shot him the back, feeling the poisonous satisfaction of revenge course through her veins. It felt _so _good.

She allowed the corners of her mouth to twist into a sickening smile. Then, it fell.

A sharp pain in her waist—the world faded to black.

"General," the sniper said into his communicator, "I've got her."

* * *

_Sluis Van: Under the Base_

Anakin was surrounded by darkness. He ignited his lightsaber, reassured by its soft hum as the long tunnel came to life in its light blue tint. He had discovered the ground entrance a few meters away from the landing deck, feeling it call to him in the force. Now, he only needed to find where it led. He moved forward quickly but carefully, studying the large pipes above him. The walls veered left and then right before finally straightening for a few dozen meters where, at the end, there was large steel door. He stepped toward it, but suddenly stopped.

He reached out with the force, feeling it begin to recoil. A dark presence was near him—and it wasn't Grievous or Bane.

"_Skywalker…" _it said. Anakin froze as a shadow inched along the concrete wall. He readied his lightsaber to strike and narrowed his blue eyes to slits.

"Stop right there," he commanded.

"_You can't save them," _it whispered, _"You're too weak. You're too late—Always too late." _

"Who are you?" He asked through gritted teeth. There was no reply. The buzz of many different whispers filled the tunnel. They enveloped him in a tornado, filled his ears and his mind. He couldn't make them out, but they were taunting him. Somehow, they knew the things he had done.

The voices grew louder. One, in particular, he suddenly recognized as his own.

"_I wasn't strong enough to save you, Mom. I wasn't strong enough. But I promise I won't fail again…" _

"Why are you doing this?" He yelled over the ear-splitting noises.

"_Anakin!" _He heard Padme's voice scream. It repeated, like a mantra, in the storm.

"Stop it!" He screamed back.

"_You can't save her," _the voice replied, _"You aren't powerful enough." _

"Stop!" He summoned every ounce of force ability he could and forced it against the dark presence, feeling it recede from the tunnel like a slow ghost.

"_You can't,"_ it whispered as it left. Anakin panted heavily, now left with only the hum of his lightsaber and his own heartbeat. He slowed his breathing, concentrating on the protection of the force that surrounded him. He had to keep going.

He cautiously walked toward the door and stabbed his saber through it. The metal glowed orange as he traced a large circle and moved the reaming piece away. The room behind it was filled with electrical sources, glowing wires, and generators.

"I found her in 5G," he heard a muffled voice say, "Bane is dead." He followed it to the other side of the room, where three lines of white light streamed down from a small metal vent.

The unmistakable rasp of General Grievous replied, "He couldn't even handle a child? Pathetic." Anakin peered through the vent, seeing the tall, rugged form of a male sniper above him. He lifted the cover slightly and looked to the left and right. His eyes immediately misted.

_Padme_. Her face was pale and her body was slumped to the left in pain. She had her eyes closed, but he could see from the trails on her cheek that she had been crying.

"Padme," he whispered. She moved slightly. "Look down." She lifted her head and turned to the vent, finally meeting his gaze with pain filled, desperate brown eyes.

"Ani," she choked, her voice filled with overwhelming relief. He smiled slightly.

"I need you to create a distraction," he told her, after a moment, and she nodded, "On my signal, scream as loud as you can." He listened for the sniper to take Ahsoka to the other side of the room. Then, he looked to his wife and mouthed the word, 'now.' She screamed and thrashed against the generator, kicking her feet in every direction.

"What the hell?" The sniper yelled, dropping the padawan beside a second electroshock generator.

"Knock her out!" Grievous ordered. The sniper unhooked the gun from his belt and stalked over to her, prepared to hit her _hard_.

Anakin ran his saber through the floor and jumped through the opening, knocking him to the ground.

"Skywalker," Grievous growled, "Took you long enough." He withdrew four lightsabers from under his cloak and ignited them.

"You know me, General" Anakin replied, "I like to make an entrance." They lunged at each other.

* * *

_The Republic Star_

"Officer, status report," Rex commanded, wiping the sweat from his tanned forehead. The flustered young man shuffled through a pile of data pads for the damage information.

"Forty of the dual laser cannons, both turbolasers, the main engine, and the hyper drive are all shot, sir," he replied, "but the back-up engines were only slightly damaged and we're stable."

"Good," he replied, tiredly, "And you've contacted the commander of _The Republic Liberty_?"

"Affirmative, Sir. They should be within our range in the next five clicks." Rex nodded and closed his eyes. He allowed his shoulders to relax slightly, finally in the somewhat peaceful aftermath of one of the hardest battles he'd ever fought.

"Enjoying yourself, Rex?" He heard from behind him. Obi-Wan limped toward them, wearing a fresh uniform and quite a few battle scars.

"General," he said, surprised, "You should be resting."

"It's a bit hard to sleep when Separatist bombers are attacking our laser cannons outside the window," he replied, bitterly, "I'd prefer the sound of ocean waves or a rain storm."

"Funny, Sir," Rex replied, dryly, "The reinforcements took care of most of them. Master Plo is sending a destroyer for the evacuation of the crew—_The Republic Liberty_."

"I see," he said, running a hand over his beard, "Any report from Anakin?"

"Yes, sir. We received a location signal almost forty clicks ago."

"Then we should be focusing everything we have left on those coordinates," Obi-Wan replied, "If Anakin's found the base, we have a chance to destroy it and General Grievous while he's distracted."

"But General, the ship is badly damaged," Rex said.

"_The Star _has seen many worse battles than this one," Obi-Wan told him, "And Anakin is going to need all the help he can get."

"I see it didn't take you long to catch up," Rex sighed, following him to the main desk.

"You know I hate to be out of the loop," Obi-Wan said.

* * *

_Sluis Van: Control Room_

The light blue blade of Anakin's lightsaber hissed angrily against the onslaught of green, red, yellow, and orange. Each vicious swipe he blocked with practiced ease, turning and jumping to avoid the General's attacks. He led the battle around the edges of the control panels, aiming the colliding sabers for the power hubs. Grievous charged at him, his two bottom swords coming in contact with the lighting panel. The room flickered momentarily before becoming enveloped in darkness. Only the glow of their lightsabers and dim light from the window remained.

"Argh!" Grievous yelled, thrusting all four his lightsabers toward Anakin's torso. He jumped backward, spinning to block another swipe at his leg. As he turned, one of the swords grazed his thigh.

"Ugh," he growled and stumbled backward, looking down at the large, bloody gash. Scowling, he lunged forward, attacking Grievous with more speed. Blocking had never been the general's strong point. As long as he managed to stay on the offensive, he knew he would be able to disarm him.

On the other side of the room, Ahsoka was beginning to wake. She opened her eyes slowly, relieved to find darkness and not blinding lights. The weakness of her body overwhelmed her, but she was somehow at peace with it. She could feel the force cradling her.

Grievous lunged at him again. Anakin thought back to his training. There was something Obi-Wan had always said to him: _Think, Anakin. In battle, your opponent is trying to anticipate your every move. If you want to win, you have to surprise them. _He looked past the General's head for anything he could summon with the force. Nothing. Continuing his aggressive attacks, he led the duel toward the other control panels and forced Grievous as hard as could against the largest one. Sparks ignited and Grievous growled loudly, dropping the orange lightsaber. He immediately reached for it again, but Anakin sent it sliding across the room.

"Three left, General," Anakin boasted. Grievous narrowed his eyes and locked his metal arms one by one. Anakin knew what was coming next. Each arm began to spin rapidly in his direction. Then, Grievous leaned back and flung his entire body toward him. Anakin dodged him as best he could with his injury, but he was fast. The angered cyborg finally cornered him, knocking him against the steel wall. All three blades struck his in a forceful attack, coming dangerously close to his neck.

At the other end of the room, Ahsoka felt something hit her left boot. She looked down at the lightsaber. "Mmm," she mumbled, reaching for it.

"This is the end, Skywalker," Grievous growled. Anakin winced, the blade of his lghtsaber hissing angrily against the other three. "You've failed." Behind him, Ahsoka limped toward them.

"I'm afraid you're wrong again, General," he replied through gritted teeth. Ahsoka quickly struck his right-upper arm with the fallen lightsaber. Grievous turned to block her, now taking on both Jedi at once. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the sniper trying to waddle away from his place in the corner.

"Distract him!" He ordered, kicking Ahsoka into one of the control monitors. "Kill the Senator!" She hit the panel with a loud _crack _before falling limp on the floor, her orange saber rolling out of her hand. Grievous stalked toward her, lifting his red blade.

"Master," She rasped, trying to back away. Anakin looked toward her. Then, the sniper aimed his riffle for Padme's head…

* * *

_The Republic Star_

"We're coming up on the base now," Obi-Wan said, his arms folded over his chest. Battle alarms sounded in the background as the crew prepared the remaining cannons.

"All weapons are a go, General," Rex said, coming beside him. Outside of the large viewport, a towering grey skyscraper was beginning to appear in the yellowed air.

"Give the order to fire."

* * *

"Master, please!" Ahsoka screamed, but he turned away from her. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the blade of his lightsaber through the air and straight into the sniper's chest, watching his lifeless form tumble to the floor with the gun.

Grievous let out a frustrated roar and stabbed his crimson saber through Ahsoka's abdomen. Her eyes widened, the extent of her life flashing in her mind: her childhood, her parents, the first time she had ever seen the Jedi temple, her training, the soldiers she had met, Rex, _Anakin_… The world abandoned her eyes in a brilliant white flash—and her final breath left her lips.

"No!" Anakin screamed. Grievous chuckled bitterly and kicked the padawan's body against the control panel. A sickening ache spread through Anakin's chest as he stared at her in shock. He could hardly form a coherent thought.

"You've failed, Jedi," The general said, coming toward him. Anakin stood there, frozen. "And now you're going to die."

Suddenly, a thundering _boom _sounded outside of the building, followed by a seismic wave, which rippled through the ground below them. The room shook as equipment crashed everywhere. A large piece of machinery sprang loose from the wall and hurtled to the floor beside Anakin's leg. He looked out of the large window to his right. The bombing was coming closer and closer to the landing deck.

Grievous whipped around and bolted toward the door, leaving the young Jedi alone in the crumbling debris. A large pipe fell directly in front of him with a loud _clang_, shaking him out of his revere. He stumbled across the room. Ahsoka's eyes were open and her entire body had lost its color, but a strange smile graced her lips. He lifted one shaking hand and closed both of her eyes. "I'm…"

"Ani," Padme shouted, hoarsely. His eyes snapped to where she was restrained. Chunks of the ceiling were raining down on her head as she tried to wriggle out of the cuffs. He quickly summoned his lightsaber and, using the force to shield her from any more debris, cut her loose from the electroshock generator. The room surged again.

"We need to get to the ship," he said, more to himself than to her. His entire body shook as he lifted her weakened form and carried her out of the room. The corridor quaked heavily, nearly knocking him to the floor as he ran for the exit. He groaned quietly as his leg throbbed in pain, but bravely pushed it to the back of his mind. All of his focus was on the woman in his arms. "Almost there," he whispered.

The splintered ground outside of the base rumbled as he ran for _The Constellation_. Thankfully, the ship looked unharmed so far. He unhitched the cockpit with a wave of his fingers and climbed inside, securing Padme in his lap.

"Anakin…" she whimpered. He hugged her close to his chest, kissing her gently on one tear stained cheek.

"It's all over, sweetheart." He said, shakily. She sighed against him and closed her eyes. "Rex," he continued over his comm. unit, "I've reached _The Constellation _and we're in the air. Prepare a landing port."

"I'm sending you the coordinates for _The Republic Liberty_, now," Rex responded, "I'm glad you're all right, Sir." There was no response.

* * *

A/N: Well, there you go. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I know it took me forever to finish, but I wanted to take my time because this is what the entire story has been building up to. Make sure you let me know what you think. The reviews have helped me a lot.

After this, there will be a short epilogue to tie everything up. So, look forward to that and thank you for reading!


	10. Author's Note

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but I won't be posting the epilogue this week. I've received a lot of reviews pointing out issues with the story and things I could have done better so I've decided to rewrite it. I may completely take it down and repost it or edit each chapter one by one. I'm not sure which yet.

I want to thank you all for sticking with me and offering your advice/critiques. You've really helped me improve my writing over the past two years and I wish you luck with all of your own stories.

Thanks,

Jess


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